


What Goes Down

by amathela



Series: What Goes Down [1]
Category: Veronica Mars (TV)
Genre: Case Fic, Drama, F/M, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2007-04-20
Updated: 2007-05-12
Packaged: 2017-10-02 16:29:22
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 18
Words: 35,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8378
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amathela/pseuds/amathela
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Veronica goes undercover at a Pi Sigma Sigma party to learn more about the rapes on campus.  So does her not-so-favourite Sheriff.  Something other than hilarity ensues.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. What's Red, White, And Black All Over?

**Author's Note:**

> AU from episode _3:2 - My Big Fat Greek Rush Week_. Potential spoilers up to the end of season three.

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica goes undercover at a Pi Sigma Sigma party to learn more about the rapes on campus. So does her not-so-favourite Sheriff. Something other than hilarity ensues.

"You should meet Chip, president of the Pi Sigs. Chip!"

Chip turned around, and Veronica cringed. First Dick, and now this. The first week of school, and she was already infamous.

"Yeah?" Chip asked, his expression less than thrilled at coming face to face with Veronica. She smiled nervously.

"This is Veronica," Marjorie continued, clearly oblivious to the tension. "Tell her Theta Beta is the best house on campus."

Whatever Chip had been going to say - and somehow, she didn't think it would have been to recommend the sorority - was interrupted, however, and Veronica almost sighed with relief. Chip turned his attention to the man who had just clapped him on the shoulder, and Veronica followed suit, thankful for the distraction.

"Hey," Chip greeted the man, then turned back to Veronica and Marjorie. "This is Marty," he said, and he was smiling, so Veronica assumed that the crisis had been averted. She turned her best fake smile on Marty.

"Hi," she said, and her smile faltered a little. Marty looked awfully familiar, but he wasn't anybody she could place. Hurriedly, she slipped back into character. "Aren't you a bit old to be in a frat?"

"Former Pi Sig," he assured her, smiling. His tone was perfect frat boy, but something in his eyes wasn't. He looked at her like he expected her to recognise him, but in the end, it was his voice that did it. Once again, Veronica had to struggle to keep the surprise off her face.

"I'm Veronica," she said, leaning in closer.

"She's rushing," Marjorie added, and Sacks smiled. He looked like he was going to say something to her, but Veronica thought, for the third time that night, that that might not be the best idea.

"Panty dropper?" she asked cheerfully.

Even without his moustache, Sacks' speechless look was the same.

-

"You joined a sorority?"

Wallace's expression was sceptical, and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"I didn't join a sorority. I told you, I'm investigating the Pi Sigs."

Wallace gave Veronica the kind of look that only he and her father were allowed. "You rushed a sorority," he said, counting off the points he made on his fingers. "You got voted into the sorority. And now you're attending a sorority welcome party."

"Actually, it's a welcome masquerade," Veronica said, unzipping the garment bag she had brought. "We have matching costumes and everything." From inside the bag, she pulled out a white, shimmering dress. Wallace stared, openmouthed.

"You're wearing that?" he asked, incredulous.

Veronica cringed as she looked at the dress. She had been warned about the matching dresses, yes; mostly, she just wished it weren't white. "I kinda have to," she said.

"You know this is crazy, right? I mean, Veronica." Suddenly, Wallace started laughing. "You're in a sorority."

Veronica rolled her eyes again, and waited for Wallace to get it out of his system. When his laughter had subsided, she just looked at him.

"Yeah," she said. "Okay. I'm in a sorority. And now I'm going to an awesome party hosted by the awesome Pi Sigs, and this is probably going to be the best chance I'm going to have to get something on them." She sighed. "So, can I get changed here?"

"Yeah," Wallace said. "I'll wait outside."

Fifteen minutes later, Veronica looked in the mirror. Wallace had been right, she realised. This was definitely crazy. The dress was white, for one thing, and if that hadn't made her want to call the whole thing off, the fact that it poured over her like a second skin would have.

Veronica managed a weak smile at the mirror. Lilly, at least, would have been proud.

Squaring her shoulders, Veronica pulled on the mask, also white and sparkly. It only covered her eyes, but with her hair pulled back she though it might make a decent cover for a glance or two. Not that she was hoping she would need a cover.

When someone knocked on the door, Veronica practically jumped.

"Yo, Veronica," Wallace called through the door. "You okay in there?"

Veronica took a deep breath. "Yeah," she said. She was going to regret this.

"I'm coming in, okay?" When Veronica didn't answer, she heard the door open, and Wallace step into the room. Nervously, she turned to face him.

"Damn."

Playfully, Veronica reached forward to slap Wallace on the shoulder, but she was smiling.

"Does Logan know you're going out like this?" he asked.

"Logan is at home recovering from being your prisoner," Veronica teased, but there was an edge to her voice. "But no, he doesn't know, and no, I don't think he needs to find out." She shot a meaningful look at Wallace, who just shook his head.

"If he does find out," Wallace said, "I knew nothing about any of this."

"Good boy," Veronica said, patting him on the shoulder. "Wish me luck."

-

"Sacks!"

Deputy Sacks was holding what looked like some sort of costume as he came to Lamb's office. Lamb looked at it, and gestured for him to come in.

"How did it go?" he asked.

"Great," Sacks said. "They're hosting some kind of party tonight, apparently. They gave me this."

Lamb smiled sarcastically.

"Veronica Mars was there, too. I think she recognised me."

Lamb's smile froze. "Veronica Mars was there?" he asked, sitting up.

"Yeah. Apparently she's rushing Zeta Theta Beta."

But Lamb was already out of his seat. "Give me that," he said, taking the outfit Sacks still held.

"What -"

"You're sitting this one out," Lamb said. He looked at the outfit. Black pants, black shirt, black mask. "If Veronica Mars was there, it means she's up to something. Which means she'll probably be there tonight." He shook his head. He was not going to let Veronica Mars screw this one up for him.

-

Veronica tried not to be nervous as she walked up to the Pi Sig house. She had done this a million times before, she told herself. This was just another costume; just another case. She rang the doorbell.

A Pi Sig dressed all in black opened the door. His mask covered most of his face, and she sighed. Great. That was going to make it really easy to identify them. Behind him, she could see more Pi Sigs, and Theta Betas dressed in red or white.

"Newbie!" he greeted enthusiastically, and Veronica forced a smile as he ushered her in. Someone handed her a drink, and she waited until his back was turned to pour it out. Well, she thought. It was now or never.

Veronica wasn't sure exactly what her plan was, except that she had to get upstairs somehow. She figured her best bet would be to wait until later, when the party was fully underway and she could slip upstairs unnoticed. Until then, she'd just have to try to blend in.

She avoided the kitchen; the last thing she wanted was to be cornered by another Pi Sig while he watched her drink. Instead, she headed toward where more people were gathered, figuring she'd be less likely to be noticed in a crowd.

Inconspicuous. That was the watchword. So when a Pi Sig took her arm, instead of pulling away, Veronica let herself be guided into the living room where people were dancing. The Pi Sig stopped and turned toward her, putting his hands on her hips, and reluctantly, Veronica put her arms around his neck. He leaned in, and Veronica tried not to let herself be distracted by his cologne. He might smell nice and have great arms, but he was a Pi Sig, and that was enough to condemn him in her book. But as he pressed closer, Veronica couldn't help relaxing into him, feeling the tingling in her spine as his body moved in time with hers. She was playing a role, after all.

Which was why, two songs later, she leaned in closer to him, stretching up so that her lips nearly touched his ear. "I really love this song," she said.

"Me too," the Pi Sig answered breathlessly.

Two words. He had only spoken two words to her, but even over the music, Veronica would have recognised his voice anywhere.

"Lamb?" she asked, pulling away sharply.

And then he was grabbing her arm, and pulling her closer to the stairs. When they were away from the crowd, he stopped and leaned into her, keeping his voice low.

"Veronica," he said, and she knew she had been right. There was only one man who could say her name like that. Veronica tried to forget the feeling of her body pressed against his, which, seeing as they were still standing like that, was more difficult than she would have liked.

"What are you doing here?" she asked softly, her eyes locking on his as he stared down at her.

"I could ask you the same thing," he said.

"I was invited," she said, and paused. "I guess I don't have to ask why Sacks was at the Theta Beta rush party."

"We're investigating the rapes on campus," Lamb said, his voice sounding resigned.

"You're investigating the Pi Sigs." Veronica tried to keep the incredulity out of her voice. She almost couldn't believe that Lamb had drawn the same conclusions as her.

He sighed. "Yes."

"So why not just come in here with a search warrant?" she asked. "I mean, you are still the Sheriff, aren't you?"

"We don't have enough evidence for a search warrant," Lamb said. "And in any case, I'd rather not just show up with a warrant until we have some kind of evidence. That's really more your father's thing."

"Obviously you have some reason to suspect them," Veronica said. "What have you got?"

Lamb laughed, and Veronica could feel it. "You've obviously been following the case, Veronica," he said. "Why don't you tell me what you've got against the Pi Sigs?"

Veronica ignored his question. "So you resort to illegal searches?" she asked. "Or did you just come here for the free booze and drunk coeds? You know that this kind of work is what private eyes are usually for."

"You're not an investigator, Veronica," Lamb said condescendingly. "And I really doubt Keith could pass muster as a frat boy."

"Whereas I'm sure the Pi Sigs would be delighted to know that the Sheriff had invited himself along to their party."

"Funnily enough, Veronica, I'm actually here to solve a crime. It's kinda my job."

"Well, that makes two of us," Veronica shot back.

"This isn't your job."

"And yet, I'm still better at it than you."

"Funny," Lamb said, his tone not at all amused. Underneath his mask, Veronica could see him clenching his jaw.

He leaned in closer to her, something that Veronica hadn't previously thought was possible. When he spoke next, he was practically whispering in her ear.

"Look, Veronica, you can be ... you about this, or you can help me out and save us both a lot of trouble. What'll it be, hmm?"

Veronica paused. Had Lamb just asked her for help? Ignoring an immediate impulse to do a victory lap around the room, she smiled. "Fine. What did you have in mind?"

"You want to check out Chip Diller's room, I presume?" Lamb asked.

"That's the plan."

"Then follow me."

Before she could say anything else, Lamb took her hand, and Veronica bit back a gasp of surprise. Pulling her toward him, he started up the stairs, and Veronica followed, trying to ignore the way people brushing past kept pushing her up against him. At the top of the stairs, Lamb hesitated, and Veronica took the lead. She couldn't help muttering a snide "shouldn't you have done your homework, Deputy?" as she continued down the hall to the fourth bedroom on the left.

Luckily, the door was unlocked - she supposed the Pi Sigs didn't want the possibility of lost keys getting in the way of any drunken hook-ups. Without glancing back, she pulled Lamb into the room, and shut the door behind them.

"Had experience with this sort of thing?" Lamb asked smugly, as Veronica pushed herself away from him.

"At solving crime? Yes," Veronica answered. "Have you?"

She didn't need to be able to see all of his face to know Lamb's expression.

Not bothering to pull off her own mask - if he wasn't going to reveal anything, neither was she - Veronica moved straight to Chip's desk, and started searching.

"And don't even think about removing evidence," Lamb cautioned her sternly as he began to look through Chip's wardrobe. "This is a criminal investigation, Mars."

"Me? Wouldn't dream of it," Veronica said, in her best mock-innocent voice. But she did pocket a slip of paper she found in one of the drawers. If the Sheriff wasn't searching the Pi Sig house officially, nothing was really evidence yet, after all.

After ten minutes, Veronica estimated that they were halfway through with their search, and she had to admit that they made a pretty good team.

"Did you check his computer?" Lamb asked, and Veronica shook her head.

"Not yet," she said.

Moving over to where she stood, Lamb flicked the monitor on and started checking through files; recent documents, internet browser history, email programs.

"Wow," Veronica said over his shoulder, and he turned around to look at her.

"What?" he asked testily.

"You kinda don't suck at this."

Veronica had expected a comeback from Lamb; but instead, he froze, and a moment later, the door opened.

Veronica paused. Getting caught wasn't really part of her plan. As she was mentally preparing her cover story, she felt Lamb grab her again, and then something happened that had _definitely_ not been in the plan.

Lamb kissed her.

Her first instinct was to pull away, but even through a haze of confusion and cinnamon Veronica realised that that wouldn't be a good idea. Instead, she fought all of her instincts, and kissed him back.

Don Lamb kissed her like he had no right to kiss, hungry and fierce and passionate. His mouth was warm and wet against hers, and almost unwillingly, Veronica found herself opening her mouth to him, pressing her tongue against his, tasting him. His hands at her waist, Lamb pulled her closer to him, and Veronica gasped as he reached one hand up to graze her breast.

She had almost forgotten about the people in the doorway when one of them coughed.

"Dude." Veronica recognised the voice instantly as Chip Diller's, and cringed. Lamb was still holding her tightly against him, and she resisted the urge to pull away. She could still taste him on her lips.

There was a long moment where nobody spoke. Finally, Chip broke the silence.

"I want those sheets washed," he said, his voice full of beer and camaraderie. Then, he was gone.

She should have pulled away immediately. One of Lamb's hands was around her waist, holding her against him, the other resting lightly on her breast. Veronica didn't know whether to be glad that he couldn't see her expression, or annoyed that she couldn't see his.

She should have slapped him.

He pulled away first, dropping his hands to his side, and that pissed her off, too. "We should go," he said, shutting down the computer screen.

"Did you get anything?"

Veronica could feel Lamb leering at her. "Yeah," he said, his voice infuriatingly smug. "I think I got everything I need."


	2. All The King's Men

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica isn't sure how she got roped into attending another Pi Sig party with Lamb. Or how she got talked into hitting on Pi Sig president Chip Diller.

She shouldn't have come.

Of course, it was a bit late to be thinking that as she walked through the courthouse door. But if Veronica knew one thing about herself, it was that she never listened to anyone's better judgement - not even her own.

-

_"Honey, could you do me a favour?"_

Veronica smiled. She hadn't even taken two steps into Mars Investigations' office, but that shouldn't have surprised her. Slinging her bag onto the couch, she went in to see her father.

"Sure," she said, standing in the doorway. "What do you need?"

Keith looked up at her from his desk. "I need you to go down to the Sheriff's department and drop off these papers. I'd do it, but I'm really swamped."

Veronica froze. This, she thought, was why you should always learn what the favour was before agreeing to it.

"Um, I'd love to," she said. "But I've got classes today, and ..."

"Honey?" Keith was looking at her with concern, and Veronica attempted to wipe the apprehension from her face. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," Veronica answered brightly. What was she supposed to say? "No, dad, I can't go to the Sheriff's office, because I hate him?"_ That much, her father already knew. "I can do it. Sure."_

"Okay," Keith said, concern lingering in his voice. Looking down, he handed her the files in a manila envelope. "Just give these files to Inga, it shouldn't take you too long."

Veronica relaxed. With even a little luck, she wouldn't have to see Lamb at all.

"I'll see you at home later," Keith said, and Veronica nodded, already on her way out the door.

-

One week. It had been a week since the party at the Pi Sig fraternity; seven days for Lamb to remember the feel of Veronica's body pressed against his, the dress she wore leaving nothing to his imagination. Seven days of remembering how Veronica's lips had felt, how she had tasted, the way she had kissed him back. Seven sleepless - but certainly not fruitless - nights.

Luckily, that also meant seven days to work on the Pi Sig case. Lamb had thrown himself into it, learning his own notes back to front, telling himself that it wasn't just a distraction.

Between trying to catch a rapist and kissing Veronica, Lamb hadn't got much sleep. So when he heard her voice at the station, Lamb wasn't entirely unconvinced that he was dreaming. But then he heard Inga's voice, and he was pretty sure that that wasn't in any of his dreams.

"Veronica Mars," he said, striding out to the front desk. "And to what do we owe this pleasure?"

"Deputy," Veronica greeted him, and Lamb tried not to scowl. She waved a manila envelope at him. "Just dropping off some paperwork for my dad."

Lamb waited as she finished with Inga, then crooked a finger at her. "Come," he said, and walked back into his office.

He wasn't sure she was going to follow. But by the time he was seated behind his desk, she stood in the doorway, looking even less happy to see him than usual. "Come in," he said, and after a moment's hesitation, Veronica did so.

Lamb had thought about all the ways he could play this. Of course, he knew the safest way would be not to play it at all; but for once, Lamb found himself unable to play the safe route. Besides, there were at least a couple of Veronica's buttons that he knew how to press.

"I want you to stay away from this investigation," he said, his voice as sharp as he could make it. "I mean it. If I see you within ten feet of a Pi Sig again, I'll have you arrested for obstruction of justice."

Veronica looked momentarily shocked, then angered, and then calm once more. "Gee, that's a great idea," she said, sarcasm dripping from every word. "I mean, it's not like I go to the same college as them or anything. I'm sure the Theta Betas will be totally cool with me never coming to another function." She leaned forward. "Not going to happen, sorry."

"Veronica," he growled. It wasn't hard to make himself sound angry with her. "I'm serious. Stay away."

But Veronica just laughed, and for a moment, Lamb forgot that he had wanted her to react that way. All he could see was Veronica Mars, laughing at him.

Lamb took a moment to get himself under control. When he looked up, Veronica was picking at her nails.

"Fine," he said, and he was surprised at how calm his voice sounded. "If you're not going to stay away from the case, how about working with me for a change?"

Veronica just looked at him. Sitting back in his chair, Lamb returned her gaze, and after a moment, she spoke.

"What did you have in mind?" she asked.

-

"Muffin?" Veronica asked in her brightest voice, and was rewarded by Marjorie smiling at her from the next table. As yet another hapless male handed over his money, Veronica returned the smile, and told herself emphatically that she was _not_ enjoying this.

Today's theme? Polka dots. Today's mission? Bake sale.

Veronica handed over the box of sugar and icing, and groaned inwardly. Wallace was right, she realised. She had joined a sorority. And now she was flaunting her baked goods.

At least it kept her mind off the much less savoury mission for tomorrow night: attend another Pi Sig party. On one hand, she thought, at least it didn't require her to wear some kind of matching dress.

On the other, it did require her to try and seduce Pi Sig president Chip Diller. Not much of a bright side there.

"I think I'm done," Veronica told Marjorie, as she handed over her last box of muffins. She held up her cash bag. "Should I take this inside?"

Marjorie smiled at her again. "Wow," she said, coming over to Veronica. "You've done really well."

Veronica smiled. Between FBLA booths and Wallace's spirit boxes, she was, ironically, a natural at this.

"Go right inside," Marjorie said. "Give the money to Karen, and then I think you're done."

Veronica let out a relieved sigh. It was going to take her a week of taking illicit photographs to get rid of all this wholesomeness.

"There she is." As Veronica left the Theta Beta house, she looked up to see Logan. "I came to see if you had any treats left for me," he said, taking her hand.

"Sorry, sugar," she purred up at him. "These muffins are gone." She smiled at his faux-disappointed look. "But if you wait until we get home, I'll give you something sweet."

"Do you have class?" Logan asked, as they walked back towards the campus.

Veronica nodded. "I have Landry in an hour. You?"

"Sociology," he said. He stopped, and turned to face her. "I know what we're doing tonight," he said, leaning down to kiss her neck. "But what about tomorrow night?"

Veronica paused. She had really been hoping she wouldn't have to tell him about the Pi Sig party.

"Um, I'm busy," she said, as she pulled away and kept walking.

"Busy with what?" Logan asked. Veronica bit her lip.

"There's just this thing that the Theta Betas are doing with the Pi Sigs," she said, trying to keep her voice casual. "So if you want to go out with Wallace or something -"

"You're going to the Pi Sig party?" Logan asked.

"Yeah," she said.

"Well, then, I'll go too." Logan smiled down at her. "We'll make a night of it."

Veronica paused. But Logan was looking at her, and eventually she smiled. "Sure," she said. "I mean, I'm supposed to go with the Theta Betas -"

"I'll meet you there," Logan finished for her.

"It's a date," Veronica agreed.

-

Weaving her way through the crowd, Veronica tried to look cheerful as Theta Betas, Pi Sigs, and random college kids picked drinks up off her tray. She thought that she had left waitressing behind when she left Java the Hut; but at least there, she hadn't had to worry that she was serving some unsuspecting girl a beer and a roofie.

She had spotted Sacks almost as soon as she came in, lounging with some Pi Sigs. He fit in surprisingly well, though she still had to do a double take every time she saw him. She still hadn't seen Logan, which was a relief; mostly, she was just hoping that he didn't show.

"What's a girl like you doing in a place like this?"

Veronica turned when she heard the voice, but she didn't need to look to know who had spoken.

"Should you really be drinking on the job?" she asked, as Lamb lifted a cup from her tray.

"I'm not on duty," Lamb answered, and took a sip. "This is still unofficial."

Veronica looked around, setting her tray down as she and Lamb moved to the side of the room.

"Talked to Chip Diller yet?" he asked, still holding his beer.

Veronica shook her head. "Not yet," she said. She hadn't wanted to risk it without knowing where Logan was. When she looked back up at Lamb, she thought she saw something like concern in his eyes.

"Are you sure you want to go through with this?" he asked, the same concern mirrored in his voice. Veronica frowned. Was he worried she was going to screw this up?

"I'm sure," she said, sounding more confident than she felt. Lamb still didn't look convinced.

"I mean, how hard can it be to seduce a frat boy, right?"

Lamb frowned. Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Scenario one, he roofies me, and you can arrest him," she said, still looking at Lamb. "Scenario two, he takes me up to his room, passes out, and I can keep searching."

Lamb nodded, and took another drink. Veronica looked over his shoulder, and smiled.

"Target acquired," she said, as she spotted Chip talking to another of the Pi Sigs.

"I'll be watching you," Lamb said, and Veronica looked back up at him.

"Relax," she said. "See how the professionals handle this."

Grabbing a drink off the tray she had set down, Veronica walked up to Chip Diller with a smile. "Peace offering?" she asked, holding out the beer.

Chip disengaged himself from the other Pi Sig. He looked at Veronica warily for a moment, and she kept her smile firmly in place. Finally, he returned it.

"Peace offering," Chip laughed. He took the drink, and slid his other arm around Veronica. "Now, why don't we get you something?" he asked.

It took all the self-control Veronica had to keep smiling.

Half an hour later, Chip was on his fourth beer, and she was on her third mystery shot. The drinks, as far as she could tell, weren't laced, but they were definitely alcoholic, and she was already beginning to feel it. As she laughed at another one of Chip's painfully unfunny anecdotes, Veronica glanced over his shoulder, and froze.

Logan had just walked in. And, judging by the look on his face, he hadn't missed seeing her.

Veronica stood still among Chip's laughter as Logan strode towards her. She looked away, bracing herself. But the confrontation she was waiting for never came; instead, she turned in time to see Sacks approaching Logan, who clearly didn't recognise the Deputy. Turning on a burst of fake laughter as Chip fell silent, Veronica grabbed his arm, pulling him outside, and prayed that Sacks knew what he was doing.

"I just thought we could talk somewhere a little quieter," she said to Chip, who was looking down at her. He smiled, and Veronica didn't like what she saw in his expression at all.

"Yeah," he said, pressing into her. He reached up a hand to brush the hair away from her face, and Veronica tried not to shudder. "Quieter," he whispered in her ear.

As Veronica turned her head up to face him, ready to launch into her own unfunny anecdote, Chip leaned down, grabbing her face between his hands, and kissed her.

After a minute of Chip's tongue tasting nothing at all like cinnamon, Veronica pulled away. "Maybe we could take this somewhere more private?" she asked, trying to put as much space as possible between her and the Pi Sig.

"This is plenty private," Chip said, leaning in again.

"We could go up to your room," Veronica suggested, frantically trying to dodge his kiss.

"I think we're fine where we are," Chip said. Moving one hand to hold her waist, he slid the other down to her breast, grabbing it roughly. He kissed her again, and Veronica backed away as much as she could. Her vision was already getting fuzzy, and she was desperately beginning to wish that she hadn't had that last shot.

"But -"

Veronica didn't see the punch coming. Judging by the way he stumbled backward, neither had Chip.

"What the fuck?" Chip asked, turning toward his assailant. As he did so, Lamb landed another blow squarely on his face.

"I don't think the lady's interested," Lamb said, his jaw clenched tightly. As Chip raised his arm to swing, Lamb rushed him, and the two went tumbling backward into the bushes. Veronica stood for a moment, still in shock, then ran over to where the two men were fighting.

By the time she pulled Lamb off Chip, his clothes were dirty and ruffled. There was blood on his face, and the beginnings of a bruise on his chin. Chip looked far worse.

"I think we should go," Veronica said to Lamb, and to her relief, he didn't argue. She put her arm around him as she led him away, leaving Chip yelling a string of profanities after them.

"Smooth move, Sheriff," Veronica said, as they walked out of the Pi Sig house.


	3. Looking For Clues

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica continues to look for answers at the Pi Sig house, with a little help from her friends.

"What the hell, Veronica?"

Veronica would have been lying if she said she didn't expect this. But she didn't think she'd expected it before she even got the chance to close the door.

"Logan, listen -"

"No, you listen, Veronica." Logan's voice was raised, his expression strained, and Veronica fell silent. She knew that it was never a good idea to push him when he was like this.

"I'm worried about you," Logan said. His face softened, but his voice didn't lose its hard edge. "You're putting yourself in danger, and you won't even let me help.

"I know," he continued over her, as Veronica opened her mouth to speak, "you never need help, right?" He laughed, but there was no joy in it. Veronica thought she heard his breath catch. "But I need to help you, Veronica. I need you to let me in."

Veronica opened her mouth again, but Logan was still looking at her with that expression, half accusing and half begging for absolution, and she paused.

"The thing with the Pi Sigs," she said finally. "It wasn't what it looked like."

"To hell with the Pi Sigs," Logan said, raising his voice again. "I'm not talking about them. I'm talking about us."

"I'm fine. We're fine," Veronica said, reaching out to hold Logan's hand. For a moment, he let her, but then he drew away.

"We're not fine, Veronica," he said, his voice much quieter now. "And if you can't see that ..."

Veronica wanted to say something; to say anything. She was good at talking, at saying the words and letting people hear what they wanted to hear. But she had never been good at this.

It could have been minutes that they stood there, or hours, or weeks. Logan was first to break the silence.

"I can't do this, Veronica," he said, his eyes not quite meeting hers. "We can't do this. I don't want to lose you. But we can do this now, or we can pretend everything's fine and deal with it later, and I vote for now."

"What are you ..." Veronica trailed off. She didn't need the answer to the question, but she needed to ask it.

Logan looked at her, then, and the tenderness she saw in his eyes was far worse than the anger and accusations they had held earlier.

"Goodbye, Veronica," he said, and leaned down to kiss her forehead.

It wasn't the first time she had left the Neptune Grand in tears.

-

"Veronica?"

Veronica barely heard Mac's voice as she stared down at her lunch. Slowly, she lifted her head.

"Yeah," she said. She took in the concerned looks on Mac and Wallace's faces. "I'm fine," she assured them.

"I know," Mac said. "We know. But it's okay if you're not."

"Nobody said you weren't," Wallace supplied. He looked at her. "You're Veronica Mars."

Veronica smiled wanly. It was nice having people around, she had to admit, even if she wasn't very good company. "I'm going to go find a seat," she told them, and they nodded. She could feel their eyes on her as she walked away.

As Veronica sat down at an empty table, she looked up to see Piz sliding into an empty chair opposite her. "Hey, Veronica," he said brightly, and she tried to smile.

"Hey, Piz," she said.

"So, what's up? I was thinking that maybe if you're not doing anything -"

"Hey, Piz," Wallace interrupted, as he and Mac sat down.

"Hi, Wallace," Piz said. "I was just saying to Veronica that maybe we - all of us - could, like, go out and do something this weekend. We could go bowling, or ..." he trailed off as Wallace and Mac just looked at him. "Or not," he finished.

"I don't think bowling's really my thing," Veronica said, trying to muster up an appetite for her lunch.

"We could do something else," Mac offered, her voice optimistic. Veronica stabbed listlessly at her plate.

"Yeah," Wallace chipped in. "I hear there's a pretty cool concert this weekend."

"Or we could sign up for the scavenger hunt," Mac continued, looking hopefully at Veronica.

"Didn't they just have one of those?" Piz asked, leaning forward.

"Yeah." Mac shrugged. "I guess it's kind of a thing."

"Guys." Veronica looked up at them. "I'm fine. Really."

"Yeah, we know," Mac said. She looked at Wallace.

"It's just that, well, we wanted to go on the scavenger hunt," Wallace tried, keeping his voice light. "And we need an extra person."

Veronica stopped picking at her food.

"Come on," he said. "It's like looking for clues, finding stuff. Don't tell me you don't enjoy that." He smiled at her.

Veronica looked at the three of them, all looking at her as if she was going to break. She couldn't handle it.

"Fine," she said, forcing a smile. "Scavenger hunt. Sounds fun."

-

"So," Piz said, as they gathered in the quad. "How should we do this?"

They all looked down at the sheets of paper they had been handed.

"Maybe we should split up into teams?" Mac suggested. Piz brightened, but Wallace spoke before his roommate could.

"Yeah," he agreed. "Sounds good. Why don't Piz and I take the first half of the list, and Veronica, you and Mac can take the second half."

Veronica nodded. "Sure," she agreed. As Piz opened his mouth, Wallace shot him a warning look, and smiled at the girls as they turned to leave.

"So ... where should we start?" Mac asked Veronica. Veronica scanned the list quickly.

"Maybe start at the bottom?" she said. "Work our way up?"

Mac nodded in agreement. "So what's at the bottom?" she asked, and Veronica glanced quickly at the page. She smiled.

After stopping off at Veronica's car to pick up her camera, she and Mac knocked on the door to Hank Landry's office. Mac shot Veronica a nervous glance.

"It'll be fine," Veronica assured her.

She knew that Sundays weren't exactly during consultation hours, but she'd taken a shot that Landry might be in his office anyway. As he opened the door, she smiled.

"Veronica," he greeted her, opening the door to his office a little wider. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"

Veronica lifted her camera. "We have a favour to ask you," she said.

One blushing Mac and a strategically placed profiling textbook later, Veronica crossed the last item off their list. Mac could hardly look at her.

"You realise you have to go to class with him on Monday?" she asked.

"Please," Veronica said. "I've seen the ugly sides of a lot of people and still been able to face them the next day. And that ... was not an ugly side." Almost despite herself, Veronica smiled, and Mac smiled with her.

"What now?" she asked.

Veronica scanned the list. "Do you know where the Mark Heinz Center is?" she asked.

Seventeen photographs, three phone numbers, a potato shaped like Abraham Lincoln's head, a gumball machine ring, and a silver bullet - which Mac wouldn't touch - later, Mac turned to Veronica.

"So how's the investigation going?" she asked, and Veronica looked at her.

"Wallace told me," Mac admitted.

Veronica rolled her eyes. "You college kids and your gossip," she said. "What else did Wallace tell you?"

The look on Mac's face told Veronica everything she needed to know.

"Wallace shared some of your muffins," Mac said. "They were really good."

Veronica smiled. "One day, I'm going to stop baking for that man, and he'll be sorry," she threatened idly. "Honestly, though," she continued, her tone more serious, "not great. Chip Diller might have forgiven me once, but I doubt even he'll be stupid enough to do it again. I just need to find a way to search that house. I know if I could go through it properly I'd find something on the Pi Sigs. They have to be behind this."

Suddenly, Veronica looked at Mac, and smiled. "You could help me," she said hopefully. "You and Wallace. Cover me while I look around."

Mac looked hesitant, and Veronica shook her head. "You're the one telling me I need to go have some fun," she said. "And what could be more fun than a frat party?"

"Um, anything?" Mac said, looking unconvinced. "Are the Pi Sigs even having a party next weekend?"

"Is it a day that ends in 'y?'" Veronica asked, and Mac looked resigned. The two girls stared at one another for a moment. Finally, Mac cracked.

"Okay, fine," she said, rolling her eyes. "I'll help you. But I am not drinking, not dancing, not flirting, and not mingling."

Veronica smiled.

"What's next on the list?" Mac asked, and they scanned the sheet of paper together. Mac drew away, disgust written plainly on her face.

"Okay, no," Veronica said. "We are definitely not doing _that._" She laughed, and kept reading. "Okay, how about 'a photograph of a team member wearing nothing but a Hearst sweatshirt?'"

-

Pushing aside his paperwork, Lamb gingerly fingered the bruise on his chin. He shouldn't touch it, he knew, but it was something between a badge of honour and a cautionary reminder, and he liked the pain.

"Did you get a medal for being injured in the course of duty?"

Lamb resisted the urge to remind Veronica that it hadn't been in the course of duty; for that, he would more likely have been fired than been handed a medal. He didn't like to think about it.

"What do you want?" he asked testily.

"Careful," Veronica said playfully, "or I might start to think that you don't like me." She strode into the room, and Lamb grimaced.

"I don't remember inviting you," he said.

"Your words say no," Veronica said, "but your open door and lax security say yes." Lamb had expected her to sit down in the chair opposite him, but instead, she approached him, leaning down until he could smell her. She touched his chin lightly, and he tried not to flinch. Or do something really stupid, like kiss her.

Instead, he swatted her hand away, and she backed off.

"What. Do. You. Want," he repeated, and she fixed him with a stare that betrayed none of the emotion Lamb could have imagined crossed her face a moment ago.

"Chip Diller?" she said. "Not a fan. Of either of us. I don't think it'd be the best idea for you to crash any more of their parties."

"Yeah," Lamb said, his hand unconsciously flying halfway up to his face before he brought it back down. "I got that."

"Do you still think they did it?" she asked.

"I think the Pi Sigs are the most likely suspects," he said, and Veronica nodded.

"Do you have any suggestions on how we can get closer?" he asked, and Veronica looked almost surprised.

"Don't worry," she said. "I have a plan."

Somehow, that didn't make Lamb feel better at all.

-

"Hey, Veronica," Mac said, as she opened the door. She smiled, and let Veronica into the room.

"Hey, Parker," Veronica said uncomfortably, and was relieved when Parker smiled slightly. Actually, she would have settled for not being chased out of the room, but smiling was even better.

"Hey, Veronica," Parker said, and then, "I want to help."

Mac flashed her an almost apologetic look.

"Help with what?" Veronica said.

"I want to help with this. With what you're doing," Parker said.

Veronica paused. "Are you sure?" she asked.

Parker didn't flinch as she answered. "Yes," she said. "I'm sure."

Veronica nodded. "Okay, then" she said. Parker looked relieved. "We're going to catch him," Veronica assured her.

Parker nodded. "I know," she said.

The three girls shared a silence that wasn't quite uncomfortable, and then there was another knock on the door. Veronica answered it.

"Your knights in shining armour," Piz said. Behind him, Wallace rolled his eyes.

"Oh, goodie," Veronica said. She looked back at Mac and Parker. "You guys ready?"

Parker squared her shoulders. "Yes," she said.

"As ready as we'll ever be," Mac agreed.

It didn't take long to reach the Pi Sig house, but by the time they got there, Veronica had given everyone their instructions.

"You guys are just running interference," she said to Piz and Parker, who nodded. "I'm going to try to check out the Pi Sig basement. Wallace and Mac will be checking upstairs.

"I've been through Chip Diller's room," Veronica told Wallace. "I didn't find anything, but I still don't trust him, so I want you to go through it again if you can. Check out as many of the Pi Sigs' rooms as you can get to, but don't risk getting caught."

Wallace nodded, and Mac tried her best to look confident.

"I don't need anything from you guys," Veronica told Piz and Parker. "Keep an eye on Chip and the other Pi Sigs, make sure Wallace, Mac, and I don't get caught. Keep an eye on each other if you need to split up." She was looking at Piz as she said this, and he nodded.

"Yeah," he said. "Of course."

"Okay," Veronica said, as they reached the house. "Ready?"

"Ready," they agreed.

They split up as they entered the Pi Sig house, and Veronica took her time, chatting to some of the other Theta Betas and keeping an eye out for Chip. As eager as she was, she knew she didn't need to rush into this; she couldn't risk getting caught.

"I'm so glad you came!" Hallie squealed suddenly, running up to hug Veronica. "Aren't Pi Sig parties just the best?"

"The best," Veronica agreed, trying her best to sound enthusiastic.

"Do you have a drink?" Hallie asked her, and Veronica tried not to blanch.

"My friend's getting me one," she lied.

"Oh, okay," Hallie said, looking momentarily placated. "Oh, there's Shania," she said, looking over Veronica's shoulder. "I've got to go say hi. But come find us later, okay?"

"Okay," Veronica said, as Hallie ran off.

Pleasantries managed, and with Chip nowhere in sight, Veronica figured that this would be as good a time as any to check out the basement. As casually as possible, Veronica walked over to the door, and, checking to see that nobody was watching, tried the handle.

Locked. Damn. Maybe the Pi Sigs had learned something over the last semester.

Looking around, Veronica made her way over to the stairs. As she reached the landing, she nearly cursed as she ran into someone, then looked up to see Wallace smiling at her.

"Keys?" he asked, holding out a keyring.

Veronica grinned at him. Sometimes, she worried that Wallace could read her mind.

"Thank you," she said quietly. "The Pi Sigs locked the door."

Wallace nodded. "I figured," he said.

"Where's Mac?" Veronica asked.

"Right behind me," Wallace said. "Don't worry, I didn't leave her alone in some guy's room."

Veronica beamed at him. "Find anything?" she asked.

Wallace shook his head. "Porn, condoms ... porn," he said. "No clippers, no drugs."

Veronica frowned. Why couldn't anyone ever make it easy for her?

"We're going to check out some of the other rooms now," Wallace said. "Just thought you might want these."

"Thanks," Veronica said, taking the keys and making her way back downstairs.

Veronica spotted Piz and Parker just as she was about to try the basement door again, and gave them a tight smile. The basement key was the third one she tried, and shutting the door behind her, Veronica took a flashlight out of her bag.

The basement was almost completely empty. Not even the board that had hung on the wall the semester before remained, and Veronica swore under her breath. She searched through the few things she could find, but came up empty-handed.

Leaving the basement, Veronica looked around to try to find the others.

"Did you find anything?" she asked Wallace, as the five of them headed back to the dorms.

He shook his head. "Nothing," he said.


	4. A Picture's Worth

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The Theta Betas talk Veronica into attending their Halloween party. Lamb talks her into looking deeper into the sorority's secrets.

"You wanted to see me?"

Lamb looked up to see Veronica Mars standing in his doorway. He smiled tightly and ushered her in, closing the door behind her.

"What did you find out about the Pi Sigs?" he asked.

Veronica looked at him, her eyes widened in an expression of false innocence. "Why, Sheriff," she said, "I'm sure I don't know what you mean."

Lamb sat down, and opposite him, Veronica did the same. "Cut the crap, Mars," he said. "You told me you had a plan. Now, since I haven't had to haul you in here and arrest you, I assume it worked out. So, tell me. What did you find out about the Pi Sigs?"

Veronica said nothing, and Lamb leaned forward, fixing her with a glare. "I'm serious, Veronica," he said. "This is a criminal investigation. If you don't start cooperating, I'll -"

"I know," Veronica said, sounding almost bored. "You'll arrest me for obstruction of justice, yadda yadda yadda. You know, you really might want to get a new pick up line."

Lamb banged his fist on the desk. Veronica didn't jump.

"Dammit," he said, "I'm serious. I know you're looking into this, but it's my job, not yours. So tell me what you know."

"Nothing," Veronica said finally. "I found out nothing. The Pi Sigs have a basement that's for members only, but when I checked it out, there was nothing there. W ... I looked upstairs, but I couldn't find anything in any of the rooms."

Lamb studied Veronica. He hated that she never gave anything away; that he never knew whether she was lying to him or not. He generally suspected that she was, as a kind of default.

"Do you think the Pi Sigs are innocent?" he asked her.

"I think it's a possibility," Veronica answered.

Lamb shook his head.

"So what's the next step?" Veronica asked him.

Lamb looked at her. "Next step?" he repeated.

"Yeah." Veronica was looking at him with _that_ expression, like she was just waiting for him to catch up. Lamb clenched his jaw. "What do we do next?" she asked.

"We?" Lamb asked. "Did you become a deputy while I wasn't looking, Mars? Like I said. This is a criminal investigation. Not a game for high school girls."

"I'm not in high school," Veronica reminded him.

"I'm well aware," Lamb said, leering at her. "But that wasn't my point. This is a matter for the Sheriff's department. You have no part in this."

Veronica stalked out of his office, and Lamb tried - and failed - not to watch her ass as she walked away.

-

"You have to come," Shania told Veronica earnestly, setting a hand on her thigh.

"Totally," Hallie enthused.

Veronica looked from one girl to the other, trying not to let the trepidation show on her face. "I know," she said, "it's a big deal. I'm just ..."

"On the rebound," Marjorie said. "We know. Which is why you should be having fun."

From the couch, Veronica tried to send Marjorie death glares. _You were supposed to be on my side,_ they said.

"I'm not -"

"Don't lie to us, Veronica," Shania said. "It's okay. It sucks, but you'll get over it. Which is why you totally have to come on Tuesday."

Hallie was nodding at her earnestly. "Come on, Veronica. He's only a guy. We're your _sisters,_" she said, laying her hand on Veronica's other thing and squeezing, and Veronica was beginning to feel distinctly uncomfortable.

Veronica tried her best to smile, and felt herself crumbling in defeat as Shania, Hallie, and Marjorie smiled back at her.

"Okay," she said, cursing herself even as she gave in. "I'll be there."

"Great!" Marjorie said, and Veronica couldn't help smiling again, this time for real.

"And don't forget your costume!" Hallie called out to her as she left.

-

_That's it,_ Veronica thought, as she looked at herself in the mirror. _I cannot seriously be thinking about going out like this. I'm going insane._

The Theta Betas really must put something in that lemonade.

As Veronica studied her reflection, she didn't see Veronica Mars, amateur P.I. with a fetish for costumes only when it was necessary for a case. Instead, she saw Wonder Woman.

Short, blonde Wonder Woman, but Wonder Woman just the same. Veronica turned instinctively towards the door. She fully expected the men in the white coats to come and drag her away any second.

Instead, she heard her dad's voice.

"Veronica," he called. "Are you all right in there? Don't you have a party to go to?"

Veronica slumped her shoulders in defeat. Yes, she did. And, amazingly, she was going to go to it.

As she stepped out of her room, she watched as Keith looked her up and down, then let out a soft whistle.

"I always knew you were a superhero," was all he said.

Veronica laughed. "I actually wanted to be Batman, but the rubber nipples just didn't do it for me."

"Have fun at your party, honey," Keith said, and Veronica nodded.

"And Veronica?"

Veronica, already halfway out the door, turned back to her father.

"I fully expect that that belt is a chastity belt," he said.

"You know us Amazons," Veronica assured her father, kissing him on the cheek as she turned to leave again. "It's not the men you have to worry about."

-

If Veronica had been worried about the amount of flesh she was showing, she felt significantly better when she arrived at the Theta Beta party. Although, better probably shouldn't have been the right word; shocked and scandalised ought to have been more like it, but she just wasn't feeling it.

Veronica could sense a theme. The house was filled with naughty schoolgirls, naughty nurses, naughty policewomen, and outfits that weren't so much costumes as girls in lingerie wearing animal ears.

Hallie was one of the latter.

"Veronica!" she squealed, running up to give Veronica a hug. A very tight, very long hug. Perhaps Veronica hadn't been as far off base with her comment to her dad as she would have liked to believe.

"Let me guess," Veronica said, finally extricating herself. "You're a mouse?"

"Duh," Hallie said, pointing to her ears.

As Veronica made her way through the party, she scanned the house, looking for familiar faces. Lots of Theta Betas, and college kids she didn't recognise. She should have made Mac and Wallace promise they'd show.

"Where are all the Pi Sigs?" Veronica asked Marjorie, when she finally spotted her.

"They're at their own house," said Marjorie, who was dressed as a Greek goddess, and looked every inch the part. "They're doing a haunted house. They do every year. All the Greek houses are participating. We're going to go over there later."

After reminding herself - several times - that she was there to have fun, and not looking for any ulterior motive, Veronica decided that the best way to forget that she was wearing what was essentially a leotard was to start drinking. Without the Pi Sigs around, she figured she's be safe.

A couple of drinks later, Veronica managed to learn that the Theta Betas, for the most part, were actually pretty decent people. Which was fortunate, she supposed, considering that she was one. Of course, that could have just been the cocktails talking.

So when Veronica spotted Lamb and Sacks across the room, she wasn't so much thinking _oh my god, I'm barely dressed_ as she was _why me?_

She should have known she wouldn't get a night off.

"If you wanted to keep me out of this," she told Lamb, as she wove her way through the crowd, "coming to my sorority house is a poor way of showing it."

Beside Lamb, Sacks let out an appreciative whistle. At Lamb's glare, he shrugged and wandered off, presumably to find some girl in cat ears who would better appreciate a man out of uniform.

"Wonder Woman," Lamb said, looking Veronica slowly up and down. "Why am I not surprised that that's what you see yourself as?"

"And you're ..." Veronica looked at Lamb. "In very tight pants."

This, she suspected, was a visual she'd never be able to get out of her head.

They stood like that, staring at one another, until Veronica shook her head. "Why are you here?" she asked Lamb.

Lamb's expression changed, grew serious. "The Pi Sigs aren't the only Greek house to have been connected to the rapes," he said.

Veronica just looked at him.

"Are you telling me you're investigating the Theta Betas?" she asked finally, a note of disbelief creeping into her voice. And the memory of what Nish had said to her in the newspaper office creeping, unbidden, into her thoughts.

"They're on our list," was all Lamb said.

Veronica's expression must have given something away, then, because Lamb leaned closer to her. "Disappointed?" he asked.

Veronica was ashamed to admit that the answer was yes.

"I have to tell you something," she said then, pulling Lamb over into a corner of the room. Just as she was leaning into him, Veronica heard someone behind her.

It was Shania, smiling.

She gave Lamb an appreciative glance - or two - and turned to Veronica.

"Very nice," she said, a note of conspiracy in her voice. She leaned closer. "Excellent choice for moving on," she said, in a voice supposedly meant only for Veronica, but which Veronica was sure Lamb could hear perfectly. "Who needs epic romance, anyway?"

Veronica made a mental note to never again tell a secret to a girl in a sorority.

When Veronica turned back to Lamb, he was clearly amused. And smug.

"Moving on, are you?" he asked, stepping closer to Veronica. He looked down at her. "You could do worse."

"I could do better," Veronica said, and the gleam of amusement left Lamb's eyes.

"You said you had something to tell me?" he asked, leaning back against the wall. Which, in turn, forced Veronica to lean in even closer so she could lower her voice.

"Apparently the Theta Betas have a secret room," she said. "It's locked, and guarded by a camera. I've heard ... stories about what goes on in there."

Lamb stood up. "And this is the sorority you decided to join?" he asked incredulously.

"I went to the rush party to check them out. And then Sacks was there, and ..." Veronica faltered.

"So, let me get this straight," Lamb said. "You're blaming _me_ for ruining _your_ investigation." He let out a whistle. "Now that is rich."

Veronica just looked at him.

"What kind of stories?" Lamb asked her.

Veronica shrugged. "Just ... stories," she said, which didn't seem to satisfy him. She rolled her eyes.

"I could tell you," she continued, "But then I'd have to kill you. Which, actually, is kind of a bonus."

"Can you get into the room?" Lamb asked her. "Tonight?"

"I guess," Veronica said. "But I don't have my camera on me." She felt Lamb's eyes sliding across her costume, then, and she could read the not-so-hidden implication; that she didn't have much on her at all.

"I can give you my phone," he said, after a gaze that went on for a beat too long. "It's got a camera on it."

"Are you sure you trust me with it?" Veronica asked, as he handed it over.

"No," Lamb said. "I don't trust you at all."

It wasn't hard for Veronica to slip upstairs unnoticed. Karen had been downstairs in the kitchen, pretending she didn't see the Theta Betas making alcoholic cocktails, and it only took a moment for Veronica to find her keys.

It was a little more difficult to enter the secret room. Waiting what seemed like forever for a lull in traffic, Veronica hastily covered the security camera and slipped inside.

A month ago, the marijuana plants Veronica found inside probably would have made her happy. Now, she was just quietly resigned.

-

"It's marijuana, not GHB," Veronica said, as Lamb looked at the photographs on his phone. "It doesn't prove that the Theta Betas had anything to do with the rapes on campus."

"It proves that they're growing pot," Lamb said. He looked at Veronica. "You know what I'm going to have to do with these, don't you?"

Veronica nodded. If Lamb had gloated at her right then, she would have had to kill him.

But "good work, Veronica," was all he said.

After that confrontation, which should have been satisfying but which instead Veronica tried very hard not to think of as devastating, she made her way back to campus, which is where Marjorie found her.

"Veronica, we need to talk," she said. Taking a breath, Veronica forced her legs to move forward.

"About what?" she asked.

"There was another camera inside the room," Marjorie said, and Veronica sighed. Of course there was. "What were you doing?"

"I was trying to find the truth," Veronica said, but the words sounded hollow, even to her ears.

"The truth?" Marjorie said. "The truth is that Karen has cancer. The chemo made her so sick she couldn't leave the house, couldn't even come downstairs. A friend of hers gave her the seeds; he said it would help with the pain and the nausea, and it did."

Marjorie looked at her. "Veronica ..." she said, and reluctantly, Veronica met her gaze. She nodded.

-

"Please tell me you haven't done anything with those photos," Veronica said, as she walked into Lamb's office. She had debated going to her criminology lecture, but she wasn't sure that even Lamb was incompetent enough to sit on evidence for that long.

"I haven't done anything with the photos," Lamb said, rolling his eyes. "What now, Veronica?"

"Karen - the Theta Beta den mother - has cancer. A friend gave her the seeds. She's growing the marijuana for medical reasons. It has absolutely nothing to do with the rapes." She moved closer to Lamb. "Please tell me you won't go after her."

Lamb looked at her for a long moment, his gaze never wavering. "I don't have a choice, Veronica," he said. "It's a crime. And in case you hadn't noticed, I'm the Sheriff."

Veronica bit back the urge to say that she hadn't. In that moment, she wanted to kill him.

Lamb looked at her as if he were thinking hard. It looked painful.

"But the photos are inadmissable as evidence," he said, "even if they did show what you claim. I've been looking at them all morning, and I can't make anything out. What did you do, take them with the lights off?"

Veronica swallowed, barely daring to breath.

"The next time you come in here making these sorts of claims, I suggest you come up with a better story." He leaned over her. "Or I'll start to think you come over here just to see me."

Lamb walked over to the door, and opened it. "Now, if you don't mind," he said. "I have actual crimes to follow up on."

As she left his office, all Veronica could think was that maybe - just maybe - Lamb was only ninety-nine percent evil.

All Lamb could think was that Veronica Mars in a Wonder Woman costume was all the fantasy he was ever going to need.

-

"Karen."

As Veronica spoke, Marjorie appeared next to the den mother, and Veronica looked at both of them.

"I just wanted to say ..." Veronica paused. "You don't have anything to worry about." She turned to leave, but Marjorie followed her out the door.

Veronica wasn't sure what she had been expecting, but it wasn't Marjorie's hand around her shoulder. "Trust, sister," she said, as she led Veronica back toward the Theta Beta house.

Trust, Veronica thought. What should she trust? Trust that the Theta Betas really were mostly decent? That the Pi Sigs were only as bad as any other organisation based on beer and misogyny? That maybe the Greeks really weren't the root of all that was evil? Well, maybe it was worth a shot.

"Oh my god, did you hear?"

Veronica looked up as Shania ran into the house.

"Hear what?" she heard herself ask.

"Another girl got raped last night. Everyone's saying she was at the Pi Sig haunted house."

Veronica felt her stomach sink. Or then again, she thought, maybe not.


	5. Reason Is Treason

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After Parker asks Veronica to set her up with Piz, Veronica unwittingly finds herself on a date of her own - with the last person she ever would have expected.

Veronica looked down as she stood at the help desk, ignoring the quiet whispers and shuffling around her. She felt like she was making absolutely no progress on the Hearst rapist case, and it was driving her crazy. She had suspected the Pi Sigs from the beginning; they were the obvious suspects. Of course, she reflected, in Neptune, it was rarely the obvious suspects who were guilty.

Every rape coincided with a Pi Sig party. Parker had been at a Theta Beta rush party the night she was raped; Claire had been at the Pi Sig haunted house. But she, Mac, and Wallace had been through the house, and there was nothing there; no drugs, nothing to tie the Pi Sigs to the victims. Nothing to tie them to the rapes except the dates of the parties, which, if Veronica were being completely honest, could have been completely coincidental. After all, when _wasn't_ there a Pi Sig party?

Veronica sighed. She would just have to keep looking into it.

Someone approached the desk, then, and Veronica looked up to see Parker smiling at her.

"Hey," Veronica said. "What can I do for you?"

Looking a little nervous, Parker paused. "What's the story with Piz?" she asked after a minute.

"Piz? Nothing. We're just friends."

"No," Parker said. "I mean ... he's cute." She shrugged. "Do you think you could ask him what he thinks of me?" she asked, and Veronica just stared at her for a second.

"Um ... sure," she said finally, and Parker beamed.

_Great,_ Veronica thought, as Parker left the library. Solving mysteries she could deal with. Untangling other people's love lives? Not so much.

Still, when her shift was finished, she picked up her bag and went down to KRFF, where Piz was sitting in front of the microphone. Putting on another track, he waved at her, and Veronica went in, sitting down on his couch.

"So," Veronica said, wishing like anything that she didn't have to do this. She paused. "Parker said you guys had a good time at the Pi Sig party."

"Yeah." Piz laughed. "I guess it was kinda fun. I've never really done any detective work before." He paused. "I thought there would be more guns. High-speed chases. Maybe be in black and white."

Veronica smiled. "Parker had fun," she said. Piz just looked at her, and Veronica waited for the ground to swallow her up. "She thought you were cool."

Piz nodded quizzically. "And cute?" she tried.

"Oh." Veronica sighed as Piz finally got it.

"Oh," he said again. "Um. Yeah. Look, Parker's really nice, but she's just not ... you know."

Veronica nodded, slowly. Not his type.

Smiling at Piz, Veronica left, almost running into someone carrying a pizza box on her way out.

"Sorry!" she said, looking up, and the guy she had bumped into stopped.

"Hi," he said, like he knew her, and Veronica paused.

"Um ... hi," she said uncertainly.

"Mercer," he supplied, smiling. "I'm friends with Logan."

Oh.

Trying not to let whatever it was she was feeling - and Veronica wasn't even sure exactly what that was - show on her face, Veronica excused herself from Mercer, only to run into someone else in the hallway.

"Parker, sorry," Veronica said.

Parker was just standing there, and Veronica wasn't even sure she'd heard her until the other girl looked up.

"What's wrong?" Veronica asked, at the expression on Parker's face.

"That guy ..." Parker trailed off.

"Mercer?" Veronica asked.

Parker nodded. "I think I recognise him," she said.

-

"You want my keys?" Weevil asked, and Veronica looked up at him hopefully.

"If it's not too much trouble," she said, and he shook his head. Okay, she admitted to herself, that was a lie. She'd want them even if it was a lot of trouble.

To her surprise, though, Weevil just pulled his keys out of his pocket and handed them over. "Lucky for you," he said, "I'm going out of town this weekend. You can babysit them while I'm gone, but I'll need them back on Monday."

Veronica smiled up at him happily, and Weevil shook his head.

"The things you drag me into," he said in mock frustration.

"You know you love it," she said.

-

Mercer's show, Piz had told her, started at nine the next night. At a quarter past, Veronica let herself into Mercer's room, thankful that it was a single. Wrapping her hands in one of his shirts, she started to search.

There was nothing in the side table she searched, or in Mercer's closet. She moved over to his chest of drawers, pausing to write down the name of his cologne.

Checked the first drawer. Nothing.

Checked the second drawer.

Damn.

-

"Hey!"

Veronica smiled as Lamb looked at her, then looked around his office.

"You're not my bear claw," he said.

"I might have some news about the rapes."

Lamb sat down behind his desk, and Veronica couldn't quite tell if he looked interested or just amused.

"I know one of the victims," she said. "Yesterday, she thought she recognised the guy who raped her, by his cologne. And when I was in his room, I saw some clippers."

Lamb was looking at her sceptically, though she thought she saw him raise an eyebrow slightly when she'd mentioned being in Mercer's room. Finally, he asked her, "who?"

"Mercer Hayes," Veronica said, and she thought she saw Lamb's expression change.

"Mercer Hayes runs an illegal on-campus casino," Lamb said at length, and Veronica rolled her eyes. Of course he did. Suddenly, she was not at all surprised that Logan knew him. "On Halloween, the casino was held up. Robbers took the cash box, as well as wallets and jewellery from the people who were there. When we found the cash box, we also found two vials of GHB."

Veronica swallowed. He didn't say anything else, and finally, she stood up.

"Before you go," Lamb said then, and Veronica stopped, waiting for him to continue.

"Kane Software's CFO," he said, and Veronica sighed. She was pretty sure she had had all she ever wanted to do with the Kanes - at least, with the ones who remained in the country. She sat back down.

"Jake Kane suspects him of embezzling," Lamb continued. "Apparently there have been some ... indiscrepancies in the Kane Software financial records. He asked me to investigate."

"Funny," Veronica said. "I hardly thought you were Jake Kane's favourite person."

"He wants to keep this low-key," Lamb said. "Doesn't want a lot of attention drawn to it."

Veronica smiled, shaking her head slightly. "I get it," she said. "The Feds start investigating, shares drop, and suddenly the business is in a worse position than it is now."

"Something like that," Lamb said.

Veronica shrugged. "I still don't get what any of this has to do with me. Unless you want me to keep doing your job for you."

Lamb leaned back. "The CFO - David Kretchmer - also has a thing for younger women. Recently divorced for the third time after his wife reached her thirtieth birthday."

"So, what?" Veronica asked. "You want me to marry him, become filthy rich, and support your next campaign?"

"I want you to do whatever it is you usually do," Lamb said. "Get close to him. See if you can get him to let anything slip. Get into his house or office if you can."

Veronica frowned. "Don't you have anyone else you can ask to do this sort of work?" she asked.

"I can't think of anyone better suited to it than you," he said.

Veronica looked at him for a moment. "Fine," she agreed eventually.

 

-

Veronica showed up at the club at 8:02pm. Lamb was already waiting outside.

"Nice outfit," he said, his gaze lingering over her, and Veronica resisted the urge to tug at her dress. Lamb had a knack for making her feel naked, vulnerable, that she thought she had long since got past. She would have to work on it.

"What's the plan?" she asked him, and Lamb's expression shifted as he focused on the job at hand.

"You go in and find Kretchmer," he said. "Get him to talk to you. I'll be keeping an eye on you. If you need me to get you away from there, spill your drink and I'll come get you."

Veronica nodded. Squared her shoulders. She could do this. No sweat.

As Lamb laid a hand on her shoulder, as if to ask her if she was okay, Veronica heard voices behind them.

"Veronica!" Shania said, as Veronica turned around. She saw a flash of recognition in Shania's face as her eyes travelled over Lamb. "Veronica's date," she greeted him, smiling. "Are you guys going in?"

"Yeah," Veronica said, trying to smile. She recognised the girls Shania was with from the Theta Beta house.

"Well, we'll see you in there," Shania said.

Veronica turned back to Lamb as the girls disappeared inside. "What do we do now?" she asked. "I can't pretend to be in there alone if Shania thinks we're together."

Lamb slung an arm over her shoulders. "I guess we go into the club," he said.

The bouncer didn't ask for ID as they entered, which Veronica was thankful for. She had at least half a dozen pieces of identification she could have used, but she didn't think Lamb would be very happy with any of them.

The club itself wasn't very crowded, but it was early. There was a small space cleared out in the centre that Veronica supposed was the dance floor, but most of the space was taken up with tables and couches, and there were chairs lined up along the bar. There was only one man sitting alone.

"That him?" Veronica asked as she and Lamb slid into the seats at the bar closest to the door.

Lamb nodded. "That's our guy," he said.

The bartender came over, then, and looked at Lamb.

"Scotch on the rocks," Lamb ordered, and looked at Veronica.

"Vodka lemon?" she asked, and the bartender nodded. Lamb didn't say anything.

"So what now?" Veronica asked, as their drinks arrived.

Lamb took a sip. "We watch Kretchmer," he said. "I doubt we'll be able to get anything on him tonight, but we're here, so we might as well make the most of it."

They drank in relative silence after that, watching Kretchmer, who nursed his drink at the end of the bar. Lamb ordered another round.

"It doesn't look like he's here to pick up women," Veronica said, as Kretchmer ignored a redhead two seats away from him.

Lamb shrugged. "He's not here for his health," he said.

Just then, Veronica saw Shania approach, and put on a hasty smile.

"Why don't you guys come join us?" Shania asked, gesturing to the table where she sat with the other Theta Betas. Before Veronica could make an excuse, Lamb stood up.

"We'd love to," he said, and smiled at Veronica. If he had still been sitting, she would have kicked him. Instead, she stood, following Shania back to the table.

Lamb sat on one of the empty couches, and with a fake smile, Veronica joined him.

"I'm Shania," Shania said, smiling at Lamb. "This is Laurel, and Siobhann, and Kim."

"Don," Lamb said, smiling at them.

"How do you know Veronica?" Shania asked.

Lamb put his hand on Veronica's knee, and Veronica tried not to swat it away. "We sort of work together," she said, and Lamb raised an eyebrow at her.

"Well, we love her," Shania said to Lamb, and he smiled at Veronica in amusement. _Yes,_ Veronica wanted to say, _some people actually do like me._

Instead, she took another sip of her drink, and watched as Lamb leaned towards the other girls.

"Are you all in the sorority?" he asked, and they smiled.

"That's us," Siobhann said brightly, and Veronica silently prayed that Lamb wouldn't start interrogating what passed for her friends right there in the club.

"Did you invite him to our Spring in November mini-carnival?" Shania asked, then, and Veronica wished that he'd led them all away in handcuffs.

"I'm sure he's probably -" Veronica began, but Lamb interrupted her.

"I'd love to come," he said, and Veronica finished the rest of her drink.

"Great!" Shania enthused. "It's next week, but I'm sure Veronica will tell you all about it." She tipped Veronica a conspiratorial wink, and Veronica could have throttled her.

"Can I get you girls another round?" Lamb asked, finishing his own drink, and the Theta Betas practically glowed at him.

When he came back, Lamb slid back in next to Veronica and put his arm around her shoulders. As Shania smiled at her, Veronica moved closer to Lamb, and his grip on her tightened.

Veronica let the Theta Betas do most of the talking, keeping an eye on Kretchmer as much as she could. At first, she thought the night was going to be a complete bust, but then she saw someone sit down next to him; not a woman, like she had expected, but another man.

As she watched, the man pulled a sheath of papers out of his briefcase, and Kretchmer studied them. Glancing back at Lamb, Veronica saw that he was watching them, too.

"Veronica?" Shania said, and Veronica hastily turned her attention back to the table.

"Sorry, what?" she said.

"Cotton candy or funnel cakes?" Laurel asked her, and it took Veronica a moment to register that she was talking about the carnival.

"Um ... cotton candy," Veronica said absently, and Shania beamed.

"That's what I said," she told Veronica.

Veronica looked at Lamb, expecting him to be amused by the topic of their conversation, but he hadn't taken his eyes off Kretchmer.

-

As Veronica's keys jangled in the lock, she winced, pushing the door open carefully. Lamb had dropped her off, promising to have her car delivered to her by the time she woke up, and she just prayed that her father hadn't seen Lamb's car. She wasn't sure how she'd be able to explain that one away.

But Keith wasn't on the couch, where she expected him to be, or in the kitchen, pretending he wasn't waiting for her to come home. When she closed the door behind her, he didn't surprise her from his bedroom. Silently thanking the world for small favours, Veronica crept towards her own room.

But when she woke up, she didn't smell eggs, or bacon, or toast. Her father still wasn't in the kitchen, and there was no breakfast, no note.

Frowning, Veronica opened the door to her dad's room. His bed hadn't been slept in.

Sure enough, though, Veronica's car was in the parking lot, and she drove down to the office after making her own breakfast.

"You didn't come home last night," she said, as she walked in the door. Keith came out of his office, and smiled at her.

"I'm sorry, honey," he said. "I was working all night on a case. Miss me?"

"Always," Veronica said. "Big one?"

"Sorry?" Keith looked at her.

"Your case," she said. "Is it a big one?"

Keith looked thoughtful. "Pretty big, yeah."

Veronica smiled at him. "Do you have time to take on another one?" she asked him.

-

"I've got something for you," Veronica said as she walked into Lamb's office, shutting the door behind her.

"Doughnuts?" Lamb asked, looking up. "Coffee?"

"Better," Veronica said. Sitting down in the chair opposite Lamb, she laid the file her dad had given her on the desk.

"What's this?" he asked, looking at her suspiciously.

"Just everything you ever wanted to know about David Kretchmer," Veronica said, and smiled.

"Embezzlement?" Lamb asked, taking the file.

Veronica said. "Nope. Nothing to do with Kane Software, actually - at least, not directly - but plenty enough to get him fired, or worse."

Veronica waited as Lamb read through the file, then nodded at her. "I'll pass this along to Jake Kane," he said, setting it down.

He was still looking at her, and Veronica frowned. "Why didn't you just go after him when we were at the club?" she asked him finally. "He was probably making these deals as we watched."

Lamb sat back in his chair. "The Sheriff's department isn't really in the habit of breaking up college parties," he said.

"Just high school ones," Veronica countered.

Lamb ignored her. "We don't have much to do with the college. They have their Rent-a-Cops. Until this whole rape situation, I don't think I've ever been over there." He leaned forward again.

"Until this investigation is solved, the best thing we have going for us is our ability to get onto campus and not be recognised. College students tend to be from out of town; they're not usually inclined to vote in local elections."

"They don't know you're Sheriff," Veronica supplied.

"Most of them, no. And I'd rather keep it that way as much as possible."

Veronica nodded. She hadn't actually expected that much foresight from Lamb, but it was solid reasoning.

"We had to let Mercer Hayes go," he said, after a moment's silence.

Veronica shot forward. "Why?" she asked.

Lamb shrugged. "There was no DNA evidence from any of the victims on the clippers," he said.

"And the GHB?"

"Says it isn't his. And he has an alibi for one of the nights of the rapes."

"Who?" Veronica asked.

Lamb smirked. "Why don't you ask your boyfriend?"

"Logan is Mercer's alibi?" Veronica asked.

Lamb's grin faded. "Like I said. Why don't you ask him?"

"He's not my boyfriend," Veronica said reflexively, and she could have sworn that Lamb smiled. "Do you think Mercer's innocent?" she asked.

Lamb shrugged. "Do I think that Logan Echolls is the most reliable witness? Not really."

Veronica ignored the urge to defend Logan. Not her problem any more, she told herself. Besides, if Mercer was guilty, it meant that the Pi Sigs - and by extension, the Theta Betas - were off the hook.

"We're still looking into it," Lamb said.

"Keep me updated?" she asked him.

Lamb's nod was barely perceptible.


	6. Springtime For Lovers

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica and Lamb attend the Theta Beta Spring in November carnival.

Veronica looked down at the notes in front of her. She had looked deeper into the rape case, starting with Claire, hoping it might lead her somewhere.

It had. And now, Veronica almost wished she hadn't looked into it at all.

When she heard the door to the office open, Veronica looked up, expecting to see her dad. It seemed like she'd barely seen him over the past few days, and she was dying to know about the case he was working on.

When Veronica saw Lamb, she frowned.

"What are you doing here?" she asked.

Lamb pretended to take offense. "So, what? You can drop into my office unannounced, but I can't drop into yours?"

"It's my dad's office," Veronica reminded him.

"Which is why I'm here. There was a credit card statement missing from the Kretchmer file. I wanted to make sure I had it before I turn everything over to Jake Kane."

Veronica nodded. "I'll see if my dad's got it in his office," she said.

It didn't take Veronica long to find what she needed. But afterwards, she couldn't quite stop herself rifling through the papers on Keith's desk, looking for a hint about his big case.

She didn't find anything about a case. But she did find something else that caught her attention. She pocketed the itinerary.

And froze as she walked back out. Lamb was bent over her notes, and when she coughed, he looked up.

"Claire Nordhouse faked her rape?" he asked.

Hurrying over to her desk, Veronica gathered up her notes, and glared at Lamb.

"Not big on privacy, are you?" she asked caustically.

"She was faking the rape," he repeated.

Veronica looked away. She didn't say anything for a long moment. "Yes," she admitted finally. In a voice that was barely audible, she added, "it happens."

"Not as often as you'd think." Lamb's voice was quiet, earnest, and Veronica looked up at him. He held her gaze. Neither of them said anything.

When Veronica finally looked away, she knew that something had passed between them. It felt, incredibly, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders.

"So what time should I meet you?" Lamb asked after a minute.

Veronica looked at him, puzzled. "Meet me?"

"For the carnival," Lamb said, smiling faintly.

Veronica just shook her head.

-

"You ready to take him?" Lamb asked Sacks, who nodded. Unlocking the cell door, Lamb led the kid out into the main office.

"Veronica," he said, surprised to see her. He walked up to her slowly.

"Who's that?" Veronica asked him, nodding at the kid being propped up by Sacks.

Lamb shrugged. "Don't know. Came in last night, wasted, no ID, looking like he just stumbled in from the beach. Couldn't remember his own name. Wakes up this morning, still can't remember his name. We're taking him down to the hospital now."

"Sunday," Veronica said. "Twelve o'clock."

Lamb looked at her, confused. "What's Sunday?" he asked.

"The Theta Beta carnival." Veronica smiled. "It's on Sunday."

Lamb couldn't help the triumphant smile that crossed his face as she walked away.

-

"Cute dress," Siobhann said, and Veronica looked down at what she was wearing. 'Spring,' was the only outfit directive they had been given, and the sundress had been just about the only thing Veronica owned that seemed to fit.

Lilly had said once that she wasn't a yellow cotton dress. Was she a yellow cotton dress now, Veronica wondered? God, she hoped not.

Siobhann smiled at her as she walked away, and Veronica looked around. She was suddenly glad that Wallace wasn't around; he wouldn't have missed seeing her like this, and he couldn't have missed Lamb, or the fact that all of the Theta Betas now thought they were a couple.

As Lamb walked up to her, dressed simply in slacks and a t-shirt, Veronica surprised herself by smiling.

"Nice carnival," he said.

"Veronica!" Marjorie called out, then, so Veronica simply smiled at him and turned around.

"I've got you on the food stand at three," Marjorie said, and Veronica nodded.

"Sure," she said.

Marjorie smiled. "Thanks, Veronica."

"No problem," Veronica said, and meant it.

Lamb had moved away, but Shania was manning the cotton candy booth, so Veronica went to say hi.

"Want some?" Shania asked, and Veronica smiled.

"Please."

"Hey!" Veronica turned around as she felt a tug on her cotton candy, and saw Lamb smiling back at her. "That's mine," she said, as he pulled off some more and popped it in his mouth.

"It's good to share," was all he said. "Slushie?"

He held out a drink to her, and Veronica took it, returning his smile.

"Going bobbing for apples?" he asked her, raising his eyebrows suggestively, and Veronica shook her head.

"No," she said emphatically.

They wandered around after that, talking to some of the other Theta Betas, and Veronica was pretty sure she shouldn't have been enjoying herself, but she was. She said hello to Karen, who managed to smile at her like she didn't hold a grudge, and shot Lamb a warning glare when he looked like he was about to put his arm around her shoulders.

When Veronica saw Dick lingering beside the pie stand, her smile faded, and she pulled Lamb behind the nearest booth.

"What?" he asked her, and Veronica was thankful that at least he had enough sense to keep his voice down.

"Dick," she said, and when she looked up at Lamb, he was gazing at her heatedly.

"Casablancas," she corrected hastily, and Lamb looked around, surprised.

"He goes here?" he asked, and Veronica nodded.

"Pi Sig," she said, and when she looked up at Lamb again, his expression was serious.

"Do you think he could be involved?" he asked, and Veronica didn't have to ask what he was referring to.

"No," she said. "Dick's ... not exactly a gentleman, but he wouldn't ..." Images sprang into her head, then, of Shelly Pomroy's party, and Veronica shook them off. "No," she repeated.

Lamb simply nodded. He was still looking at her, his eyes searching hers, and at first Veronica thought he was going to ask her another question, but then it finally clicked. She had seen that look before, and she licked her lips nervously, standing still as if frozen. But then the moment passed, and Veronica breathed out, and Lamb still hadn't kissed her.

When Veronica saw Dick moving away, she relaxed, leading Lamb back around to the ring toss booth.

Lamb looked at the booth for a moment, then back at Veronica, and smiled. "Want a teddy bear?" he asked her, already handing over his money.

Four tries later, Lamb still hadn't won her anything, but Veronica was smiling. His frustration was almost endearing, and he looked ready to try again, but Veronica merely shook her head at Laurel, who was standing behind the booth.

And then Veronica's smile widened. "How about we try something you might actually be good at?" she asked, guiding him towards another booth.

Lamb picked up the BB gun, and looked over at her. Veronica had a sudden mental image of Lamb pretending to shoot bad guys by pointing a fake gun at fake targets at a carnival, and laughed. He looked at her quizzically.

After he had shot all the targets on his first try, looking quite pleased with himself, Hallie handed Lamb an oversized stuffed tiger. Veronica wished they'd had a fake Sheriff's badge to pin on him instead.

"Call him Don," Lamb said, as he held the tiger out to her. Veronica felt a moment of panic, but it was no good; it had been named. Don the tiger stared back at her as she took it from Lamb.

Marjorie started over towards her, then, and Veronica nodded, making her way over to the food stand.

As the Theta Beta who had been at the stand before her left, Veronica looked over at Lamb, who was smiling.

"What?" she asked him, cautiously.

"Want me to help keep you company?" he asked, and Veronica rolled her eyes as she realised he was serious. She faltered for a moment, then looked back up at him. He was still smiling.

Veronica handed him a pair of tongs. "Only if you make yourself useful," she said.

-

"Honey, I'm home!"

Veronica came out of her bedroom as her father shut the door behind him. He was smiling, looking happier than she had seen him in a long time, and Veronica felt a twinge of regret. But she had already packed. She carried her bags out into the living room.

"What -" Keith began, but she interrupted him.

"How's the big case?" she asked.

Keith looked wary. "It's fine, it's going good actually."

Veronica nodded. "So that's where you were all weekend? Working on your case?" Direct. Point blank. No wiggle room.

Keith opened his mouth, but then nodded. "Yeah, I told you."

Veronica shook her head, not quite meeting her father's gaze. "Where are you going?" he asked her. "Honey, what's wrong?"

"I'm going to stay with some friends for a while. Just for a few days. I just need some space." She tried a smile, then, but it was half-hearted at best.

As she left, she heard the door swing shut behind her.

-

"Veronica!" Marjorie looked at Veronica, taking in her bags. "What are you doing here?"

Veronica smiled. "I know I'm not really supposed to be," she said, "but can I stay here for a while? Just for a few days, I promise. I'd ask my friends, but they all live on campus and share their dorm rooms, and I just ... I need somewhere to crash for a little while."

Marjorie nodded, and swung the door open behind her. "Yeah, of course, Veronica. Kim left early for her study vacation, you can use her room. It's upstairs, first door on the right."

Veronica smiled at Marjorie. "Thank you," she said.


	7. Goodnight Sweetheart

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica ends up in trouble at the Theta Beta Christmas party.

"Where have you been staying these days?"

Veronica looked up. She had come into the office to collect her notes for Landry's class; Keith had come out as soon as he heard her, looking like he hadn't seen her in weeks instead of days.

"Just at the Theta Beta house," she said quickly, shoving the notes into her bag. She turned to leave.

"Veronica," Keith said, and she turned around. He was just looking at her, and Veronica sighed.

"How's your big case?" she asked him coldly.

"Veronica ..."

"I know about you and Harmony Chase," she told him.

Keith looked at her like he had been expecting it. "I think we need to talk about this," he said.

"What's there to talk about?" Veronica asked him. She shrugged. "It's your life."

"It is my life," Keith said, looking at her earnestly.

"And this is mine," she said.

"Veronica, would you just come home?" he asked.

"How could you do this?" she asked him, raising her voice. "After all we've been through? After everything we've seen?"

"This is ..." Keith shook his head. "It's different."

"Yeah," Veronica said, unconvinced. "Because it's not like every single person who comes through those doors says the same thing. 'This is different, this is something special.' God," she said, blinking back tears that weren't quite springing to her eyes. "How can you be so casual about this? You know how these things end. I'm surprised Vinnie Vanlowe hasn't walked in here with pictures of you."

Keith flinched, then, and Veronica smiled joylessly.

"You're just like all of them," she said, her voice flat. "You're just like Jake Kane."

"Veronica, it's not like that," Keith protested, his words ringing hollow in her ears.

"She's married!" she practically screamed at him. "She has a family." She stepped back as Keith moved towards her. "It's always like that," she said.

-

"I need more milk," Shania said, looking around the kitchen.

Veronica handed it to her. "Does this say ... cocoa?" she asked, squinting at the page in front of her.

Marjorie looked over. "Coconut," she corrected, smiling. "Shania's handwriting can be a little messy sometimes."

"What?" Shania asked, coming over. "That's perfectly legible," she protested.

"Yeah," Hallie said, flicking flour at her. "To you, maybe. I still remember when I put a tablespoon of salt in the cookies."

"You cannot seriously be blaming me for that!" Shania threw shredded coconut back at Hallie. "That was totally your fault."

"Was not!" Hallie argued. She threw more flour, which landed on Veronica and Marjorie.

In retaliation, Veronica helped Shania throw coconut at Hallie, and blinked as she was rewarded with a face full of sugar.

"I'll get it," she said when she heard the knock on the door, escaping the kitchen as the other girls started giggling. She opened the door, and stepped back as Lamb looked at her.

"Hi," she said, confused, as Lamb's eyes travelled over her flour-streaked clothes.

He smirked. "Having fun?" he asked her.

"We're baking," she said.

"I can see that." Lamb stepped forward.

"Are you here to see me?" Veronica asked.

"Actually, no," he said. "I came to talk to some of the Theta Betas, see if they -"

"You're here about the case."

Lamb looked at her. "Yes."

"You're investigating the Theta Betas." Accusatory, now.

"They're connected to this," he said. "They -"

"I can't believe you," Veronica interrupted him angrily, fixing him with a cold look. "They're not involved."

"You're sure of that."

"Yes."

Veronica expected him to argue with her, but instead he reached out, brushing her cheek. He licked him fingers as he drew them away. "Sweet," he said, his eyes locking on hers. "What are you doing later?"

Veronica's gaze didn't soften. "Why are you even here?" she asked, raising her eyebrows.

"I told you -"

"That's not what I meant."

Lamb was staring down at her, and Veronica couldn't read the expression in his eyes. "I thought we were ..."

"Were what? Friends?" Veronica looked at him. "We're not friends," she said, her voice icy. "We're not anything."

She told herself she wasn't disappointed when he walked away.

-

"Hey there."

Wallace looked up as Veronica slid into the seat opposite him. "I'm sorry, do I know you?" he asked, looking at her in mock confusion, rolling her eyes. "You look an awful lot like this girl I used to go to high school with. I wonder what ever happened to her."

"Funny," Veronica said, picking a french fry off his plate. "Are you done? Got it out of your system yet?"

Wallace nodded. "Pretty much, yeah. So what's been going on with you?"

"Oh, you know." Veronica shrugged. "Classes, homework ... saving the world."

"So, the usual?"

Veronica laughed. "Same old, same old," she agreed. "What about you?"

Wallace smiled. "I got a B on my exam," he said, proudly brandishing a booklet. "I am now officially passing mechanical engineering."

"Congratulations." Veronica looked up, then, as Piz joined them, and stole another fry from Wallace's plate, ignoring his half-hearted cry of protest. "Hey, Piz," she said, and turned back to Wallace. "So. Friday night. Theta Beta pre-pre-Christmas party."

She smiled, and Wallace looked sceptical. "Pre-pre-Christmas party?"

"Come on. Come with me."

"Come with you where?" Mac and Parker joined them at the table, and Veronica looked at Parker almost apologetically.

"Um, a Theta Beta party," she said, less enthusiastically. Averting her gaze, she looked at Wallace again. "Come on. It's only, like, the seventeenth last big party of the semester."

Wallace looked at her. "Okay," he said finally. "Yeah, I'm in."

"Great." Veronica smiled at him. "Because I'm going to need your help."

Wallace rolled his eyes. "Of course you are," he said.

Veronica looked at him seriously. "All the Pi Sigs are going to be there."

"Everyone's going to be there," he said, and she nodded.

"Exactly. Which means the rapist probably will be, too." Veronica looked at Parker again. She wasn't smiling, but she didn't look angry, either.

"I'll pass," she told Veronica, who nodded.

"I won't let him strike again," she said.

-

"How did I let you talk me into this?"

Veronica smiled at Mac over the noise of music and conversation in the Theta Beta living room. "Because I'm very persuasive," she said simply, and waved to Wallace and Piz as she saw them come in.

"So what's the plan?" Piz asked as they approached.

"Keep an eye on all the girls you see," Veronica said. "Look out for anyone who looks like they've been drugged, or anyone who looks like they've been tampering with other people's drinks. If a girl looks like she's drunk or been drugged, don't let her go off alone. Get them a safe ride home cart; go with them if you have to." She looked at the others. "Got it?"

Piz looked eager, Mac nervous, and Wallace resigned. They nodded.

"Okay," she said. "Let's do this."

After they had split up, Veronica made her way to the kitchen, where she bumped into Hallie.

"Veronica!" Hallie said excitedly. "Do you want a drink?"

She held a cup out to Veronica, who eyed it warily. "Did you make this?" she asked.

"Yeah," Hallie said. After a moment, Veronica took the drink. She stayed by the kitchen as Hallie moved away, keeping an eye on the rest of the party. As she turned toward to stairs, her breath caught.

Veronica sat her drink down on the counter. "Will you watch this?" she asked Shania, who was chatting to another girl nearby.

Shania nodded. "Sure," she agreed.

Bracing herself, Veronica walked over to where Logan was chatting with Mercer.

"Hey, Veronica," Mercer said, and she gave him a tight smile.

"Hey," she said to Logan, and he turned to look at her.

"Hey," he said quietly.

Mercer looked at them for a moment, then backed off. "I'll give you two some room."

"So, how are ..." Veronica began as Mercer left, looking nervously at Logan.

"Good," Logan said, before she could finish. "How are you?"

"Good," Veronica said. "I'm good." She beat passed, and she laughed. "This is ..."

"Awkward?" Logan finished, and she nodded.

"Yeah," she agreed. "Awkward."

His expression softened a little then, and he turned to face her fully. "Look, I know this is ... uncomfortable," he said, and paused. "But I like having you in my life."

Veronica sucked in a breath.

"So I thought, maybe we could try being ..."

"Friends?" Veronica supplied.

Logan smiled. "Yeah," he said. "Friends."

It took Veronica a long time to speak, but when she did, her voice didn't waver. "I'd like that."

Logan looked down at her for a moment, then glanced away, grinning. "Now, if you don't mind," he said, his voice playful, "I'm pretty sure there are some drunk sorority girls somewhere waiting for me to take advantage."

Veronica forced herself to smile.

Shania handed her her drink when she got back, and Veronica took it gratefully. Taking a sip, she looked around, and blinked as the room lurched. But as suddenly as it had come, the sensation faded again, and she took a larger sip, shaking her head.

As she sat the empty cup down on the counter, Veronica knew it had been a bad idea.

_Not again._ She shook her head, trying to force it to clear. When it didn't, she scanned the room, searching for a familiar face, but everything had faded into a sort of blur.

_Upstairs,_ Veronica thought, as she stumbled across the living room. If she could just get up to her room, she could pass out, and just wait for this to go away. She focused on putting one foot in front of the other, holding onto the banister, and when she reached the top of the stairs, she pushed to door to her room open with a sigh.

She had just managed to crawl onto the bed when someone else entered the room.

"Mac?" she asked fuzzily, trying in vain to sit up. "Wallace?"

No.

_I know you_ was Veronica's last coherent thought before losing consciousness.

-

He had a reason for being there, Lamb told himself as he entered the Theta Beta party. He wanted to catch the rapist. He suspected the Theta Betas. He suspected the Pi Sigs.

He was definitely not there to see Veronica Mars.

Still, when he got there, he couldn't help asking after her. He had to keep up appearances, after all.

"Have you seen Veronica?" he asked, grabbing one of the Theta Betas as they walked past. Hayley, maybe?

She shook her head. "Not for a while," she said, and walked away.

Shania came up to him then, smiling. "Hi, Don," she said.

"Hi, Shania." Lamb forced a smile. "Have you seen Veronica?"

Shania shrugged. "She was around earlier," she said. "I think she was talking to some guy."

"Who?" Lamb asked.

Shania scanned the room, then pointed. "Him," she said.

Logan Echolls. Lamb clenched his jaw. Now flanked by two girls, both blonde, neither Veronica. Lamb forced himself to look away.

And saw a young black man looking at him curiously. "What are you doing here?" the kid asked.

Lamb looked at him. "I know you," he said at last. "You're -"

"Wallace," the kid interrupted him.

From the Sac-N-Pac. Right.

"You're friends with Veronica," Lamb said uncertainly.

Wallace nodded. "Yeah."

"Seen her?"

"Not since I arrived. Why?" Wallace was looking at him suspiciously, and Lamb smiled. Just one more guy on the lookout for Veronica Mars.

And then he saw Mercer Hayes, and his smile faded. "No reason," he said distractedly, moving away.

He had seen Mercer go into one of the bedrooms upstairs; Lamb was sure of it. Resisting the urge to draw his gun in an effort to clear the room - except that his gun was on his bedside table where he'd left it, not at his hip like he was used to - he crossed the room infuriatingly slowly, pushing drunk college kids aside as he moved. He took the stairs two at a time, and paused only for a moment before opening the first door on his right.

The room was dark, and it took Lamb's eyes a moment to adjust. There were two people in the room, he saw eventually; one lying on the bed, and one standing beside it. Even in the dark, Lamb could recognise Veronica Mars' unconscious form.

The other figure - Mercer, Lamb knew, and he had arrested the guy already, had had him in a fucking jail cell and had let him go - overcame his surprise quickly. He rushed at Lamb, either to fight or to run, and Lamb tackled him as they went sprawling to the ground.

If it came to it, hitting Mercer Hayes would almost be worth losing his job.


	8. Amends

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica goes to the Sheriff's department on Christmas Eve.

There were four empty jail cells on Saturday afternoon.

When Logan Echolls was brought in on charges of destroying county property, Lamb led him to Mercer's cell without a word.

-

"Hey."

The first thing Veronica saw when she woke up was her father, looking down at her. She smiled at him faintly.

"You've been out for a while," he said.

Veronica winced as memories of the previous night came flooding back. Mercer.

She wasn't aware that she'd spoken the name aloud until she saw Keith's expression change.

"They arrested him," he assured her, and she sank back into the couch.

"He was the rapist?"

Keith nodded. "He was. And you got him, honey."

Veronica managed a weak smile.

"They got his friend, too," Keith said, and Veronica looked up at him, confused.

"His friend?"

He nodded. "Moe Slater. Apparently he helped Mercer drug the girls."

Veronica frowned. Wallace's RA. "And Mercer gave him up?"

Keith's smile didn't quite reach his eyes. "No honour among thieves and rapists."

He was looking at her concernedly, and Veronica tried to sit up. "I'm okay," she assured him, reading the question in his eyes.

"I'm glad," he said. "I didn't know what to think when Lamb showed up here holding you in his arms."

Veronica frowned. "Lamb?"

Keith nodded. "He brought you home." He looked at Veronica. "Are you sure you're okay?"

"I'm fine," she said.

They shared a moment's silence. Veronica looked down, trying to clear her thoughts.

"I broke things off with Harmony," Keith said after a while.

Veronica sat up a little. She didn't say anything.

"She has her issues to work out," he said, and looked at Veronica. "Her family."

Veronica nodded.

"Would you be okay with me seeing her again?" Keith asked. "Down the line, I mean."

Veronica shook her head. "I don't know," she said honestly.

Keith smiled, and pushed Veronica's hair back to kiss her on the forehead. "Okay," he said.

-

After Mac and Piz had left the apartment, Veronica sat across from Wallace on the couch.

"I'm sorry," he said.

Veronica frowned. "Sorry for what?" she asked.

Wallace shrugged. "For not being with you. For not saving you. For letting you go upstairs." He looked at her. "For letting Mercer get to you."

Veronica looked at him. "It wasn't your fault," she said, with all the feeling she could muster. "I told you to look out for other girls at the party, not for me."

Wallace nodded. "What was he even doing there?" he asked, and Veronica knew he wasn't talking about Mercer.

She shrugged. "He was investigating the rapes," she said, trying to keep her voice neutral. "He thought the Theta Betas were involved. He probably came to the party to check them out."

Wallace stood up. "I'm glad he was there," he said.

"Me, too," Veronica said after he left.

-

"Guess what I have."

Veronica looked up at her father as he entered the apartment, a piece of paper clutched in his hand. "A pony?" she guessed excitedly.

Keith smiled. "An invitation to the Sheriff's department Christmas party," he said. "I guess they're starting to warm up to me."

Veronica smiled.

"Do you want to go?" he asked her, and Veronica tried to read his expression. She nodded.

"Yes," she said.

Keith looked at her, and then nodded. In agreement or acquiescence, she couldn't tell.

"I might be there late," he warned her, and Veronica looked up. "If I make it at all."

Veronica frowned at him.

"I'm working on a case," he told her.

"On Christmas Eve?"

"Unfortunately." Keith looked at her, and held up his hands. "Don't worry, it's an actual case this time."

Veronica smiled, and they sat in silence for a moment. "Okay," she said after a while.

-

"Hey, Veronica." Sacks looked at her questioningly. "Are you here for the party?"

Veronica smiled. "I am." There was something about Sacks that seemed different, something she couldn't quite place. She tilted her head.

"Are you -" she asked, and Sacks blushed. Veronica reached out as if to touch his upper lip. "A fake moustache?" she asked, amused.

Sacks looked away, embarrassed. "I felt weird without it," he admitted quietly.

Veronica smiled. "Well, I think you look good, either way," she told him.

Sacks looked grateful, if still embarrassed.

Veronica looked up, then, and saw Lamb. Almost unconsciously, she stepped forward, and before she knew what was happening, his hands were on her waist, and he was kissing her.

It took Veronica a moment to react, but then she was kissing him back, pressing her mouth against his. She kissed him passionately, instinctively, tasting the scotch on his tongue, and she leaned into him as he wrapped his arms around her, drawing her closer.

"What was that?" she asked breathlessly, when they finally broke apart. Lamb pointed to a spot above her, and she looked up.

"Mistletoe," he whispered.

Veronica flushed, and looked around the room. All eyes were on them; Sacks looked like his jaw was about to fall off.

When she looked back up at Lamb, he was grinning down at her, and she smiled. "You're lucky my dad isn't here" she said quietly, intimately. "He'd kick your ass."

Lamb stepped back, and looked around the room nervously. Veronica laughed and shook her head, and when someone handed her a glass of egg nog, she took it without hesitation.

"Hi, Inga," she said, as the older woman passed her.

Inga stopped. "Veronica," she said. "How are you?"

"I'm good," Veronica said. "How are the puppies?"

"Not puppies any more." Inga smiled. "They're so big now, you should see."

Veronica nodded. As Inga walked away, she looked up. Lamb was staring at her from the other side of the room.

Lamb disengaged himself from one of the deputies and crossed the room, stopping close to her. "Want to dance?" he asked.

Veronica accepted his invitation silently, holding out her hand. He led her to the centre of the room, putting his arms around her waist as she leaned closer, pretending that no-one else was watching. She could smell his aftershave, and she relaxed into him as they danced.

"I really love this song," she said quietly, looking up at him.

Lamb smiled. "Me, too."

When the song was over, Veronica stepped back as Lamb's hands fell off her hips. Pausing for a moment, she leaned up to him and kissed him, her lips soft, almost chaste, against his.

When she drew back, he was looking at her.

"Thank you," she said softly.

-

The next morning, Veronica ran from the kitchen to open the door. "Merry Christmas!" she said, smiling.

Lamb looked down at her. "Nice hat."

Veronica stepped back. "You're not my dad," she said.

"Thank god," Lamb said, and brushed past her as he entered the apartment. She looked at him.

"What do you want?" she asked curiously.

Lamb looked at her. "I need your help on a case," he said.


	9. A Night At The Benetian

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica helps the successor to Mercer's casino track down players he thinks might be cheating.

Veronica frowned at Lamb. "You need my help?" she repeated.

He looked at her. "That's what I said."

Veronica stepped aside and closed the door, then turned back to Lamb. "What's the case?" she asked him.

Lamb smiled at her and, leaning over, picked a snickerdoodle off the tray in the kitchen. "I love these," he said.

"Hey! Those aren't for you," Veronica protested, trying not to smile. She waited until Lamb had finished eating.

"It's a gambling ring," he said finally. "Local. Not too well known, but getting there." He paused. "Got any milk?"

Veronica sighed, then turned to the fridge, pouring some milk into a glass. She handed it to Lamb, and he grinned.

"Gambling?" she prompted.

"Right. Anyway, these guys are owed money by a few ... influential members of the community. At least, that's what I could gather. There are people who want them gone, and I'm under a lot of pressure to deal with it."

Veronica studied Lamb. There was milk on his upper lip, and Veronica told herself resolutely that she did _not_ want to lick it off. "Why do you need my help?" she asked, instead.

Lamb moved closer to her. When he spoke, his voice was softer. "Mercer Hayes' casino," he said. "I'm thinking it might be involved. You have a better chance of getting in to investigate it than I do."

Veronica suppressed a shudder. It wasn't Mercer's casino any more, she reminded herself. Mercer was behind bars.

"Okay," she said slowly. "I'll see what I can find out."

Lamb was looking at her concernedly, standing so close Veronica could feel him. She thought he was going to say something else, but then the door opened, and Lamb stepped back hurriedly. Veronica looked up to see her father looking at them.

"Keith," Lamb said, a little too quickly.

"Morning, Sheriff," Keith said suspiciously. He stepped aside to let Lamb pass him.

As Lamb stepped through the doorway, he turned back around, and smiled. "Veronica," he said, and she looked at him. "Merry Christmas."

"What was that about?" Keith asked, after Lamb was gone.

Veronica shrugged. "Just Lamb," she said casually, and smiled at her father. "Merry Christmas."

-

Veronica recognised Alan immediately when she saw him in the hallway. She had been surprised to learn that he had been the one to take over running the casino - at least, initially. Until she had reasoned that sneaky, devious, and low morality were the perfect traits for Mercer's successor.

"Hi," she said, coming up beside him.

Alan turned to look at Veronica suspiciously. He didn't look happy to see her. "What do you want?" he asked her, even as he kept walking.

Veronica rolled her eyes as she ran to catch up to him. Obviously he remembered her, too.

"I heard you're running Mercer's casino now," she said, after she'd caught up.

Alan stopped, and turned to look at her again. "And you're here to demand I shut it down?"

Veronica shook her head. "Your secret's safe," she assured him.

Alan turned away.

"I want in," she said, stopping him.

"In on what?" he asked.

"I can play a mean game of poker," she said. "And I figured you might be able to use an extra hand."

Alan looked at her for a long while. "Okay," he agreed eventually.

"Okay?" Veronica repeated. Somehow, she had expected it to be more difficult than that.

"You're like, nosy, right?" Alan asked her, and Veronica shrugged. He stepped off to the side of the hall, away from the main flow of student traffic, and she followed him.

"I think some of the players might be cheating," he said in a low voice.

Veronica frowned at him. "What makes you think that?"

Alan shrugged. "The money doesn't add up. I've been through Mercer's books. All of his records. I should be making more than I am. At first I thought it was just coincidence, or bad luck but now ... I know something's up."

"Do you know how they're doing it?" Veronica asked, and Alan looked at her.

"If I knew that," he said, "I wouldn't be asking for your help."

-

"And the dealer has twenty-one."

Veronica couldn't help smiling as the man in front of her groaned. "Another game?" she asked, raking in the chips.

As he shook his head, Veronica looked up from the table. Alan was right; the casino was packed, and the house seemed to be on a winning streak. He should have been making a mint.

As someone sat down at an empty seat in front of her, Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Still swindling men out of their hard-earned cash, I see." After a moment, Logan turned to the student still sitting next to him, glaring at the man until he left.

Veronica sighed. "And you're still engaging in practices both illegal and immoral," she said, shuffling the cards as Logan laid his chips on the table.

"Only on Tuesdays." Logan smirked at her. "Now, remind me - which of us is currently dealing cards at an illegal amateur casino?"

Veronica dealt, ignoring Logan's question, and he picked up his cards.

"I thought you knew better than to bet against me," she said, as he began.

Logan just smiled at her. "What can I say? I'm a sucker for punishment."

His smile widened as he won the first hand, but Veronica won the three after that, deliberately mirroring his expression. Logan frowned, but Veronica knew him too well to think he was really angry.

"If you were going to cheat," she asked, as Logan won his second hand of the night, "how would you do it?"

Logan looked around suspiciously. "Is that a trick question?" he asked. "Are you going to have some of your goons haul me out of here?"

Veronica shook her head. "Just curious," she assured him.

She dealt again, and Logan shrugged. "I don't know. Stick an ace up my sleeve? I can't say I've ever really thought about it."

Veronica just nodded, raking in the chips as she won again, and Logan stood up in mock disgust. "I'm getting my ass kicked by a woman," he said, shaking his head.

Veronica looked up at him. "Funny, I thought you'd be used to it."

Logan pretended to laugh, then walked away from the table. As he left, Veronica looked around the room, trying to keep her eye on anybody who looked like they might be skimming cards.

When no-one else sat down at her table, Veronica took the opportunity to walk around the room, to watch the other tables more closely. She had thought that the card tables would be the most likely place to cheat, but as far as she could tell, everything was fair; they were still making a killing. She wandered over to Alan.

"Is there any way the roulette table could be weighted?" she asked quietly. "Shaved dice?"

Alan shook his head. "The table's fine," he said confidently. "We use our own dice, and the dealers check them. There's no way."

Veronica frowned. She looked back over at the tables, and her frown deepened.

"Who's that?" she asked Alan, nodding to a tall, dark-haired student in the far corner.

"Uh ..." Alan looked at him for a moment. "Doug Handler."

"What do you know about him?"

Alan shrugged. "Not much. He's some sort of programming ... no, graphic design major, I think. Plays basketball. Why? Do you think he's cheating?"

Veronica didn't answer for a moment, still watching Doug closely, then smiled. "I'll have an answer for you tomorrow," she told Alan confidently.

-

"Hey, Veronica."

Veronica looked up as Piz opened the door, and smiled at him. "Hey, Piz," she said. "Is Wallace around?"

Piz shook his head. "He's at class. Is there anything I can help you with?"

Veronica looked at him. "Maybe," she said. "Do you know a guy called Doug Handler?"

"Doug? Yeah. He's just down the hall."

"His room?"

Piz nodded. "Yeah."

"Do you know which one?"

"Yeah, it's the second last door on the left. Veronica?"

Veronica, already walking away, turned. "Thanks, Piz."

-

Lamb looked up as Sacks entered his office. He thought the deputy might have been smiling, but it was difficult to tell under the fake moustache covering half his face.

"What?" he asked.

"Veronica Mars is here to see you."

Lamb stood up as Veronica walked in. When Sacks backed out of the room, Lamb was _sure_ he was smiling.

"Solve the case already?" he asked Veronica.

She shook her head. "I need a favour."

Lamb smiled. "What do you need?"

She paused. "When you arrested Moe Slater," she said. "You took everything he had on him, right?"

Lamb frowned. "We did," he said eventually.

"Did he have his keys?"

Lamb bit back the urge to ask her what this was about. Even if she did tell him, he wasn't sure he wanted to know. Actually, scratch that; he was almost certain he didn't want to know. Instead, he walked out of his office silently, and heard Veronica's soft footsteps as she followed him.

Sacks was still grinning at them as Lamb led her into the evidence room.

He closed the door behind Veronica, leaning in so close he could practically taste her, then broke away sharply, shaking his head. He handed her a set of keys.

"I need these back by the end of the day," he told her. "And you didn't get them from me."

Veronica just smiled.

-

As Landry dismissed the class, sparing a smile for Veronica which she returned, she gathered up her books. According to Wallace, he had training for at least the next half hour, which meant that with any luck, so did Doug. Making her way quickly to Bennis Hall, Veronica let herself into Doug's room and began searching.

There was nothing in Doug's bedside table, and nothing under his bed that Veronica wanted to touch. She opened the closet, keeping her eye on the clock warily. She knew she was right about this; all she needed was proof.

Which she found, in a shoe box almost out of her reach. Veronica opened the box, and smiled.

She was still sitting on Doug's bed when his door opened.

"Confess," Veronica said, as Doug walked in. She smiled. "It's good for the soul."

Doug looked at her, trying to overcome his initial surprise, and shut the door behind him. "I have no idea what you're talking about," he said evenly.

"Then let me break it down for you," Veronica said. "Graphic designers are good at faking things, right? You create something on a machine, make it look like it's real? Like casino chips."

She looked at Doug as his mouth fell open slightly, but he still didn't speak.

"It's easy, right? Especially if whoever's running the casino is just another student, and may not look too closely? You buy some generic poker chips, steal one from the casino, duplicate its logo. Pretty much an endless source of cash. Until he starts to notice."

Doug stared at her. "Like I said," he told her. "I have no idea what you're talking about."

Veronica opened the box that sat beside her. "So I suppose these were just souvenirs?" she asked, picking up a few of the chips.

"Where did you get those?" Doug asked angrily. "You're not even supposed to be in here."

"They were in your closet," Veronica said. "And I really don't think that my petty crimes are the issue here."

Veronica shut the box as Doug continued to stare at her, not saying anything. "I'll let myself out," she said. "Oh, and Doug? You might want to find yourself a new after school activity."

-

"So, did you find anything?"

Veronica smiled, and handed the box of fake chips to Alan. "Look familiar?" she asked.

Alan looked down at the chips. "These are from the casino," he said.

"No." Veronica shook her head. "They're not, actually. They're fakes. Pretty good ones, but still fakes."

"Where did you get these?"

Veronica smiled. "It doesn't matter. The person who was cheating won't be coming here any more. At least, not if he knows what's good for him."

Alan was still studying the chips. Putting the box down finally, he looked at Veronica. "Thanks," he said.

Veronica shrugged. "Catching bad guys is what I do best," she said. She turned to leave.

"Veronica?"

When she turned around, Alan was still looking at her.

"I could use another person on the tables tomorrow, if you're free," he said, and Veronica smiled.


	10. Stolen Moments

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica tracks down the Theta Betas' stolen car wash money.

Veronica squealed, and turned her water pistol on Hallie as the other girl laughed. Hallie threw her sponge at Veronica, who ducked, and looked up guiltily as she backed into someone.

"Cute bathing suit."

Veronica could feel herself blush as Lamb looked her up and down. She shivered at the cool breeze on her wet skin, Lamb's gaze making her all too aware that she was barely dressed.

"So, is this some kind of Veronica Mars undercover sting operation?" he asked. "Blowing the lid off water conservation?"

Veronica smiled at him. "It's a fundraiser," she said. "We're raising money for the Theta Beta Snow in California dance."

Lamb looked amused, and Veronica suddenly couldn't help herself as she turned around, grabbing her bucket and tipping the water over his head. She had expected him to be mad, but instead he grabbed her, whirling her around and backing her up against a nearby car. When she looked up at him, he was smiling, but there was something else besides amusement in his eyes.

"My car could use a wash," he said after a minute, and Veronica thought it was impossible that he had made something so mundane sound so suggestive.

"It'll cost you," she said, and for a moment, she wasn't even sure that she knew what they were talking about any more.

And then he smiled, and it all came rushing back. "Am I invited?" he asked.

"Invited to what?"

"To the dance." Lamb backed up a little, but his hands were still on her hips, and Veronica didn't push them off.

"I'm surprised you haven't been already," she said, and she thought that was a yes.

-

"Hey, Shania," Veronica said when she showed up at the Theta Beta house later. "I think I left my bag here. Can I come in and take a look?"

"Sure." Shania stepped inside, and after a minute, Veronica saw her bag near the couch. She picked it up, and when she turned around, Marjorie was standing in front of her.

"Veronica," Marjorie said seriously. "Can I talk to you for a second?"

"Sure," Veronica said as Marjorie pulled her aside. "What's up?"

"It's about the money from the car wash," Marjorie said quietly. "It's missing."

"Missing?"

Marjorie nodded. "We had it earlier, but when I got back here it was gone. I asked around, but nobody knows what happened to it."

Veronica looked at her. "Do you know who had it last?" she asked.

Marjorie shook her head. "We really had that money."

Veronica smiled. "Don't worry," she said. "I'll find it."

-

"Hey there."

Veronica looked up as Wallace sat down, and smiled. "Hey yourself," she said. "So, how's Hearst's newest basketball star?"

Wallace shook his head. "I can't even believe they're letting me start this semester."

"Believe it," Veronica said. "Wallace Fennel defies all laws of probability."

"Yeah, including the ones in my math course."

Veronica took another bite of her pasta. When she looked up, Wallace was smiling at her. "What?" she asked. "Do I have something on my face?"

"Are you going to ask me?"

Veronica frowned. "Ask you what?"

"To the Theta Beta party. Come on, don't you have some bad guys you want me to catch? Drunk college girls to babysit? Fun I'm not allowed to have?"

Veronica's frown deepened. The Theta Beta winter party. The same one she had invited to Lamb to. "Are you sure you want to come?" she asked.

Wallace just looked at her. "A bunch of sorority girls, and I'm Hearst's newest basketball star? I'm already there."

Veronica nodded reluctantly, and then looked up across the cafeteria. "I've got to go," she told Wallace apologetically as she picked up her tray.

"Hallie!" Veronica slid in across from the Theta Beta, who looked up.

"Oh, hey, Veronica," she said.

"Did you hear about the car wash money?" Veronica asked her, and Hallie nodded.

"Yeah," she said. "I can't believe it. This dance is going to suck if we don't get that money."

"So you don't know what happened to it?" Veronica pressed.

Hallie shook her head. "I have no idea. I think Shania was in charge of it the last time I talked to her."

Veronica nodded. "Thanks," she said.

-

"Shania," Veronica said, as Shania opened the door of the Theta Beta house. "Just the person I wanted to see."

"Hi, Veronica," Shania said. "Come in."

Veronica stepped inside, and Shania closed the door behind her. "I heard what happened to the car wash money," Veronica said. "Bummer, huh?"

Shania nodded. "Tell me about it. We've already ordered the decorations and everything, and I don't even know if I'm going to be able to cancel them."

Veronica looked at her. "I heard you were the last person with the money?"

Shania looked away for a moment. "Not exactly," she admitted finally.

Veronica waited.

"I gave it to my boyfriend. We were inside the car wash, and I had the money. I wanted to go talk to Siobhann, so I left it with him."

"What's your boyfriend's name?" Veronica asked.

"Roger Felton," Shania answered. "Why?"

-

Veronica stood across the street, staring at the car wash. The trip to see Roger Felton had been a bust; he said he'd had the money, but had left it in the office after he was 'distracted,' and Veronica thought he was telling the truth.

She looked up as somebody moved beside her.

"You know, usually people take their cars _into_ the car wash. Or are you just hoping the guys will get their gear off?"

Veronica smiled at Weevil. "Is that what you're doing here?" she asked.

Weevil looked away, then back at Veronica guiltily. "Nah," he said. "I just really hate this place."

"So you're here why exactly?"

Weevil pointed at the side of the building, where graffiti was scrawled. He shrugged.

"Petty vandalism?" Veronica asked. "And here I thought you were above that."

Weevil shook his head. "Like I said. I just really hate this place."

Veronica smiled, then, and Weevil looked at her suspiciously.

"What?" he asked.

"Do you hate it enough to break in?"

"Why?"

"Just curious," Veronica said. "I think a friend might have left something in there."

-

"Ooh, twenty-three! Bad luck." Veronica gathered up the cards with a smile. As the two guys at her table left, she turned towards Alan.

"You must do all right with this place," she said, and he smiled.

"Yeah, I do okay."

"Ever gone bust that you know of?"

Alan looked at Veronica, and shook his head. "Not that I'm aware of."

"Are you afraid that you will?" she asked. "I mean, because that would suck."

He shrugged. "We're covered."

Veronica looked at him curiously. "Covered?"

Alan nodded. "Yeah. When Mercer started this place, he needed capital, you know? Someone to cover his ass if it failed."

"Do you know who you're covered by?"

Alan thought for a moment. "I don't ... wait yeah. It's something like, Executive Corporation?"

"Executive Corporation?" Veronica repeated.

He shrugged. "I think so. I don't know, exactly."

Veronica nodded. "Thanks. Anyway, I'm off."

Alan nodded at her as she left. And ran straight into someone standing outside the door.

"Weevil!" Veronica exclaimed. "What are you doing here?"

Weevil shrugged. "You're not the only one who knows how to find people," he said, and handed her a bag.

Veronica took it. "What's this?" she asked.

"A few grand, by the looks of it." Weevil smiled. "And no, I didn't take any."

"Where did you get this?"

"At the car wash," he said. "Still sitting in the bastard's desk."

Veronica smiled. "Thanks," she said.

Weevil shrugged. "Hey, no problem. Good to know I still have the touch."

-

"Veronica, thank you so much," Marjorie said, for what Veronica estimated to be at least the sixth time. She gestured around the room. "None of this would have been possible without you."

Veronica smiled. "No problem. It's what I do best."

Lamb came up to her, then, and handed her a drink. "It's just coke," he assured her, and she took it with a smile. Marjorie left, and she and Lamb wandered across the living room in silence. When he put his arm around her shoulders, Veronica didn't object.

Until she saw Wallace.

She pulled away, glancing up at Lamb, and imagined that he looked almost hurt.

Wallace looked from Lamb to Veronica as he approached.

"Wallace, it's not -" Veronica began, but he interrupted her.

"What are you doing?" he asked, and Veronica couldn't tell if his voice was more angry or confused.

She paused, maybe for a beat too long. "This really isn't -"

"You're dating the Sheriff?" Wallace asked incredulously. And loudly. Shania wandered over from nearby.

"Your boyfriend's a cop?" she asked, looking at Lamb with newfound admiration.

Veronica winced.

"Boyfriend?" Wallace asked, raising his eyebrows.

_He's not my boyfriend._ The thought popped into Veronica's mind instinctively, but the words never came. She looked at Wallace, and then at Shania, and at Lamb. She didn't say anything.

When Wallace left, Veronica - barely - resisted the urge to run after him.

"Boyfriend?" Lamb asked her, and Veronica looked up at him sharply.

"Now is not the time," she warned him.


	11. Take Me Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica helps Lamb on a case in a way she didn't anticipate.

Veronica knocked on the door to Mac's room, and waited. It had been three days since she had seen Wallace at the Theta Beta party; two days since he had avoided her in the cafeteria; and ten minutes since he had ignored her last phone call. It had taken an effort not to detour past his room on the way, but she was on a mission.

"Hey, Veronica," Parker said as she opened the door.

"Hey, Parker," Veronica said. "Is Mac in?"

"Yeah." Parker stepped aside as Veronica entered.

"Hey, Veronica," Mac said. "What's up?"

Veronica smiled, and sat next to Mac on the bed. "So," she said. "I need a favour."

Mac rolled her eyes, but she was smiling.

"Hey," Veronica said. "Did I or did I not help you out with that whole monkey thing?"

"All right," Mac agreed. "What do you need?"

"I need you to trace some financial records," Veronica told her. "There's a company called Executive Corporation. They have links to what used to be Mercer's casino, and I need to find out who's behind it and what else they're into. Think you can do it?"

Mac smiled. "No problem. I should be able to have something for you in a few days."

"Thanks, Mac," Veronica said. "You're the best."

"I know."

Five minutes after she left Mac's room, Veronica was knocking on Wallace's door. Okay, so she was weak.

She stuck her foot in the door as Wallace opened it. Just in case.

"I've got to get to class," Wallace told her as he stepped back.

"I know," Veronica said. "Me, too. I just thought we needed to talk."

"About what?" Wallace wasn't looking at her.

"The thing with Lamb," Veronica said seriously. "It wasn't what it looked like."

"All right, then." Wallace stopped rifling through his bag, and turned to look at her. "What was it like?"

Veronica paused. What was it like, indeed?

"We're working together," she said. "On some cases. That was ... just a cover."

Wallace looked sceptical. "Working together? With the Sheriff?"

"It's really not as crazy as it sounds," Veronica assured him.

"Yeah, well, it sounds pretty crazy," he said, shaking his head. "You hate the guy."

Did she? Veronica wasn't even sure if she knew any more.

"It's not like that," was all she said.

"So that's why you haven't been around much lately? You've been with him?"

"No." _Yes._ "God, no. I've just been busy, that's all."

"Yeah, well." Wallace picked up his bag. "Me too, so I gotta go. I'll see you around."

On her way to class, not sure if she was in a better mood or not, Veronica answered her cell phone.

"Can you come down to the station later?"

_Lamb._ "Tonight? Can't. I've got to wait at home for a hooker."

Veronica smiled at the silence on the other end of the line. "I'll be there tomorrow," she said, and hung up.

-

Veronica let her bag drop to the floor and smiled at her father, who was standing in the kitchen. "Tell me you cooked," she said, "or we're getting takeout. I'm exhausted."

Keith smiled, and turned to life a pot off the stove. "Pasta," he said, draining it. "Instant."

"Hey, if it's food, I'm for it," Veronica said. As Keith sat two bowls down on the table, she looked at him.

"What?" he asked warily. "Why are you staring at me?"

"Just trying to remember what you look like," Veronica said, "so I don't forget who you are the next time you disappear."

Keith smiled a little. "Funny you should say that." He studied her. "I might be a little late home tonight."

Veronica rolled her eyes, and he gave an apologetic shrug.

"You still haven't told me anything about the case."

"Nor am I going to," Keith replied. "Trust me, you do not want in on this."

When they'd finished dinner, he kissed her on the forehead as he got up to leave. "You'll be okay without me?"

"Oh, sure," Veronica said. "I've got a guy and a couple of hookers coming over later. We'll make a night of it."

Keith smiled, but when he passed a man on his way out the door, he shot Veronica a questioning glance.

"Max," Veronica said. "Come in."

-

"You wanted to see me?" Veronica smiled at Lamb as she entered the Sheriff's department. "I've got class this morning, so I can't stay long."

Lamb smiled at her and took her hands, and Veronica looked down in surprise as she felt the cold steel of a pair of handcuffs slide over her wrists. "You might have to miss it," he said.

"What -" Veronica gaped at Lamb as he led her away towards the cells. After a few steps, he stopped and looked down at her.

"We've got a guy in a holding cell," he said, keeping his voice low. "He's not speaking, and we've got to let him go by this afternoon if we can't press charges."

"And this has what to do with me, exactly?" Veronica asked him.

"The guy's obviously guilty. If you can get him to speak - to say anything - we might be able to find some evidence."

"I'll see what I can do," Veronica agreed finally, and shook her head. "You know, you could have told me this over the phone."

Lamb smirked. "Now, what fun would that have been?"

By the time he led her into the cell, Lamb's expression was neutral. He removed the cuffs, and locked the door behind him without glancing back.

Veronica didn't say anything for a long time.

"You know, I don't think you're supposed to be in here with me."

Veronica looked at the man now sitting up on the bed. "Yeah, well, the Sheriff's not exactly what you'd call my biggest fan." She tried not to think of what else he was.

There was another long silence. Then, "what are you in here for?"

"Jaywalking," Veronica answered immediately.

The man burst out laughing. "No, seriously."

"Seriously," she assured him. "Like I said, he's not a fan."

The man was still smiling at her when Veronica next looked over. "What about you?" she asked.

"Kidnapping." His smile faded a little, and Veronica leaned forward, feeling dirty even as she did so.

"Guilty?" she asked him, with a hint of a smile.

The man looked at her warily, and for a moment, Veronica worried that she'd pushed too hard. Then his smile returned.

"They'll never prove it," he said smugly, and Veronica tried not to smile too much.

"Maybe they'll surprise you."

He shook his head. "No way. It's airtight."

Veronica leaned forward some more, genuinely intrigued. She smiled at him conspiratorially, and after a moment, his expression mirrored hers.

"She's long gone. Over the border. Rented a car, fake ID, paid cash."

"She?" Veronica asked.

"My ex wife," he explained. "Bitch wanted to divorce me."

"How do you know she'll stay gone?"

"Oh, she'll stay gone," he said confidently. "I've got the photos in my safe deposit box to make sure of that."

When Lamb returned what must have been an hour later, Veronica nodded at him. Lamb turned to Sacks. "Charge him," he said, as Sacks led the man out.

"Proud of me?" Veronica asked, and Lamb smiled and stepped forward.

"The wife's long gone," she told him, "but the guy has a safe deposit box you should look -"

Before she could finish, Lamb's mouth was on hers, and Veronica kissed him back as he put his hands on her hips, pressing her against the bars of the cell. She put her arms around him as his grip tightened, pushing back against him, moaning slightly as she felt him growing hard against her.

"Um, Sheriff?"

They broke apart at the voice, and Lamb stepped back, still looking at her hungrily. Her face flushed, lips swollen, Veronica looked over to see Sacks standing outside the cell.

"I'll be there in a minute," Lamb practically growled at him, never taking his eyes off Veronica.


	12. Dinner And A Moving Vehicle

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> As Veronica begins to find answers to Lamb's case, she asks him to help her with a case of her own.

Veronica looked again at the records Mac had given her. She still didn't know what to make of them, but one thing was clear: they all led back to one man.

Robert Dedman.

Veronica frowned at the name. It seemed familiar, but she couldn't quite place it.

Keith came out of his office, then, and Veronica looked up at him. "How do I know the name Robert Dedman?" she asked.

Keith frowned. "He used to work for the mayor."

"Woody?"

Keith shook his head. "Before him."

Veronica looked back down at her notes, trying to remember.

"He was dismissed about a year before ..." Keith trailed off. "There was a big controversy, rumours of shady dealings."

Veronica smiled. "So, pretty much standard in Neptune?"

"What's this about?" Keith was looking worriedly at Veronica, and she tried to brush it off.

"It's nothing," she said casually. "Just trying to remember where I'd heard the name."

"Okay." Keith sounded unconvinced, but after a moment he stepped forward, setting a file on her desk.

"Are you going to be home late tonight?" Veronica asked, and he nodded.

"I'm afraid so, honey."

"It must be some case." Keith looked at her sharply, and Veronica shrugged. "Don't worry, I'm not prying."

"Good," he said. "You busy tonight?"

"Apart from my hot date with Backup and Kraft mac 'n' cheese?" She shook her head. "Nope."

Keith nodded. "I took this case on a few weeks ago, but I just don't have time to chase it up. You think you've got time to look it over, maybe do a little recon?"

Veronica smiled. "For you? I think I can manage. But Backup's going to be disappointed."

"I'll make it up to him."

-

Lamb shut the door to his office behind him as he went to sit at his desk. If he'd thought that things had been bad after the Christmas party - and Inga still smiled at him every time he walked past her - that was nothing compared to now. He couldn't say two words to Sacks without the deputy smirking at him from behind that stupid fake moustache, which Lamb had so far managed not to rip right off his face. It had got so bad that Lamb had started bringing his own coffee in the morning, and generally trying to avoid the rest of the office as much as possible.

"Sheriff?"

Lamb looked up as Sacks opened the door, grinning at him as usual. "What is it?" he asked irritably.

"Veronica Mars on the line for you." Sacks' grin was wider now, and Lamb resisted the urge to throw something at him.

"Thank you," Lamb said tersely, and waited until Sacks had shut the door once more to pick up the phone.

"Veronica," he said, trying - unsuccessfully - to keep the frustration out of his voice.

"Bad day?" Veronica asked him, and despite himself, Lamb smiled.

"It was until now."

There was silence on the other end of the line, and Lamb frowned until Veronica finally spoke again.

"I need a favour."

"Name it." Damn. Too eager. "I mean, what is it?"

Lamb could almost hear Veronica's smile through the phone. "I'm working on a case," she said, "and I thought it might go more smoothly if I had an ... escort."

"What's the case?"

"The usual. Guy suspects his wife is cheating on him, wants us to tail her. Apparently she has dinner every week at the Bayside with her girlfriends, but I thought ..."

"Maybe she's having dinner with a boyfriend instead?"

"That's about it," Veronica agreed. "Her dinner's at eight, so I thought if you wanted to meet me there -"

"Is your dad going to be home tonight?" Lamb interrupted her.

"Not until late."

"Then I'll come pick you up. You need me to make reservations?"

"It's already taken care of," Veronica said.

-

"Hey."

"Hey yourself." Weevil looked at Veronica, and smiled. "Okay, what do you want?"

"Want?" Veronica asked. "Who says I want anything? Can't I just feel like talking?"

Weevil looked at her, and shook his head. "You always want something," he said. "Besides, you've got that look."

Veronica frowned. She was going to have to work on that.

"All right, what is it?" he prompted. "You want me to do some more B and E? Maybe rough someone up a little? I'm still on probation, you know."

Veronica smiled. "None of the above. I just want some information. Since you used to be so big on crime and all."

"What do you want to know?" Weevil asked.

"Robert Dedman. Used to work for the mayor a few years ago. What do you know about him?"

"Him? Yeah, I remember him. Word on the street was that he had connections to the mob."

"The mob?" Veronica looked at him. "Like the mob, mob?"

"Yeah." Weevil was looking at her seriously, and she frowned. "You don't want to mess with these guys. They're serious."

Veronica forced a smile. "I wasn't planning on messing with anyone," she assured him. "I was just curious."

"Yeah, like you're ever just curious."

"Seriously," Veronica said. "I just wanted some information."

"Yeah, well." Weevil shook his head. "Whatever you're up to, stay away from Dedman."

-

Veronica jumped as she heard the knock on the door. She shouldn't be nervous, she told herself. This was not a date. This was a case. And if she had spent the past hour picking out the perfect dress, it was only because the Bayside was a nice restaurant, and she wanted to blend.

She opened the door with a smile. She was _not_ nervous.

So when Lamb's gaze travelled over her and her breath caught, she told herself that it was just because she didn't like him looking at her like that.

"You look nice," was all he said, and Veronica's answering smile was genuine.

"So do you."

Lamb didn't take Veronica's arm as they walked over to his car. He did open the passenger door for her, though, and she unlocked his door as she slid in.

It was a short drive to the Bayside, filled with a silence that was strangely not uncomfortable. When they arrived, Veronica got out of the car before Lamb could open her door again, and this time he did take her arm as he led her towards the restaurant.

"Table for Mars," she told the Maitre d', who guided them to a small table. Lamb ordered a bottle of wine.

"So, where is she?" he asked Veronica, and she looked around the restaurant. Finally, her eyes came to rest on a woman a few tables over.

"That's her," she said.

Lamb looked around, with more subtlety than Veronica would have given him credit for. "She's alone."

Veronica frowned. "Awfully small table for a group," she pointed out.

When their wine arrived, Lamb poured her a glass.

"I don't like you," she said, and he smiled.

"Yes, you do."

Veronica didn't say anything.

When Lamb asked her what she wanted to order, Veronica picked the most expensive thing she could find just to test his reaction. He kept smiling. When their waiter arrived, he ordered for her, which usually drove her crazy. On Lamb, it seemed right somehow.

When their food arrived, the woman at the other table was still alone.

"What are you doing?" Lamb asked a few minutes later, as Veronica pulled her phone out of her bag. She silenced him with a look. Three tables away, a man who was definitely not the woman's husband had just sat down.

"Camera phone," Veronica explained, as she snapped the couple together and returned the phone to her bag. She took another bite of her lobster, and smiled. It wasn't usually her favourite dish, but this was almost worth the exorbitant price.

Lamb was still looking at her like what he wanted most wasn't on the menu.

"Solve any cases lately?" she asked him as he poured her another glass of wine. "I mean, if that's something you actually do down there."

"I've solved plenty of cases," Lamb said, almost petulantly.

Veronica smiled. "Without my help?"

Lamb remained conspicuously silent.

"I am so full," Veronica said as she finished her dinner. She sat back in her chair, and Lamb smiled as he poured the rest of the wine.

But when the waiter came back and asked, "dessert?" Veronica took a menu eagerly.

"I thought you were full."

Veronica smiled at Lamb. "There's always room for dessert."

And then he was looking at her with that expression again, and Veronica suddenly wished she'd chosen her words a little more carefully. When she ordered the chocolate mud pie, she was just glad there wasn't a 'gasm' at the end.

By the time they finished dessert - Lamb chose to abstain, which didn't stop him stealing bites of Veronica's - the woman and their mystery date were just finishing their own meal. As they got up from their table, Veronica realised that she had almost forgotten about them.

She reached for the bill when it arrived, but Lamb got to it first. "I don't do dutch," he said.

Veronica let him pay.

Lamb and Veronica followed the other couple out into the parking lot, and Veronica snapped more pictures of the two kissing as they got into a car. Then Lamb was pushing her up against the side of the restaurant, and Veronica kissed him first, tasting wine and chocolate and something else that was just Lamb. When he reached up to cup her breast, she pushed him away.

She walked quickly towards Lamb's car, and he followed her.

"Where are we going?" he asked.

"Best guess?" Veronica stopped to look back at him. "I'd say the Camelot."

Veronica didn't see the other couple as they pulled up to the motel, but she took a few pictures of the man's car, smiling as she did so. People were so predictable.

"What now?" Lamb asked her as she sat back in her seat.

"Now," Veronica said, "we wait."

Lamb turned the radio on after a few minutes, and Veronica didn't bother to object. He could probably afford to waste his battery.

After half an hour had gone by, Lamb was looking decidedly restless.

"I thought there'd be more action than this," he admitted, as Veronica turned to look at him.

She smiled. "This is the job. It's not as glamourous as the movies would make out."

After another seven minutes, she could have sworn that Lamb shifted closer to her in his seat.

After nine minutes, he actually coughed and put his arm around her.

After a lengthy debate with herself, Veronica decided not to say anything. "You've never been on a stakeout before?" she asked him, instead.

Lamb shrugged. "I usually let Sacks handle them," he admitted. "So, what are we waiting for?"

Veronica looked at Lamb. "I need to get the money shot," she explained.

He gazed back at her darkly. "Say money shot again."

"Money shot."

Lamb leaned forward, and Veronica pulled away an instant before he kissed her.

"What?" he asked her, confused.

Veronica just smiled. And snapped the money shot.


	13. Spy vs Spy

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In Neptune, everything is connected. Veronica learns that the hard way when she goes after the Fitzpatricks.

"Bacon _and_ eggs? I must have done good."

Keith looked up as Veronica wandered into the kitchen, giving her a tight smile. Sleepily, she returned it, and took the plate he handed her.

"I thought we needed some daddy-daughter time," he said as she ate. "I know I haven't been around much lately."

"Yeah, I noticed." Veronica looked up as she finished the last of her bacon, and smiled at him. "Don't worry, I trust you."

Keith's smile faded a little. "Where were you last night?" he asked. "I didn't see you when I got home."

Veronica got up and went to her room. She found the file on her desk, and handed it to her father as she walked back into the kitchen.

"I finished your case for you," she said. "Your mystery guy should be very happy. Or not."

Keith took the files, but didn't look for them. "Your car was in the parking lot when I got back."

Veronica just looked at him.

"So I guess my question is, who drove you home?"

Veronica suppressed a momentary rush of panic. If her father knew who she'd been out with the night before - if he knew what they'd been doing - he wouldn't be standing in the kitchen, eating his breakfast and calmly asking her questions. He'd probably out getting himself killed, or at least arrested.

"You know me," she said, forcing a smile. "I was just being careful."

Keith was still looking at her.

"I took backup," was all she would say.

After her father kissed her goodbye and left - but not without a wary backwards glance - Veronica went back to her room to keep studying her other, slightly more taxing, case. She knew that Robert Dedman was behind Executive Corporation, or at least tied to it, but for all the controversy and rumoured mob connections, she had no idea what that meant, and she hadn't been able to find anything else on him. The company's financial records, on the other hand ...

After everything she'd been through, it really seemed to Veronica that nothing should surprise her any more. And nothing about the Fitzpatricks should surprise her, period. But she still hadn't expected to find that Executive Corporation owned a part - albeit a very small part - of the River Stix.

She should have known that in Neptune, everything was connected.

-

The thought that she was doing this for a case didn't give Veronica much comfort as she sat outside the River Stix. Odd, because that thought was usually the only comfort she had. Still, there was something about the River Stix - and Liam Fitzpatrick - that made her decidedly uncomfortable.

But this was the biggest lead she had. So she stuck it out.

Luckily, the first person she saw walking out the door wasn't Liam Fitzpatrick, or even Danny Boyd. It was, in fact, exactly the person she'd been waiting for.

"Molly!" Veronica called, rolling down her window. Outside the River Stix, Molly Fitzpatrick turned to look at her.

"What do you want?" Molly asked, approaching the car.

Veronica smiled. "I just want to talk. Do you have a minute?"

Molly looked around. "Not really."

"Well, I want to talk anyway."

Rolling her eyes, Molly got in the car. "What is it?"

Veronica turned to look at her. Molly was a reluctant ally, but she was the only one Veronica had, and this was the best lead she'd been able to find. "I need you to do me a favour," she said.

Molly was silent for a moment. "What's the favour?" she asked hesitantly.

"I need you to find something out for me. I tracked some of your family's financial records, and a lot of them seem to be going into one place. The trouble is, I don't know what that place is, or why."

Veronica handed a copy of her notes to Molly, who looked at them suspiciously.

"Why should I help you?" she asked slowly.

Veronica looked at her. "Did you love Felix?"

"Of course I loved Felix." Molly was looking away now, and Veronica tried not to push her too hard.

"Then you know that Liam was responsible for his murder. Do you really want him to get away with it?"

When Molly looked up, there were tears in her eyes, but there was something else there, too.

"Okay," she said.

-

Veronica hadn't quite been honest with herself, she knew. She had one other lead on the Fitzpatricks. She wasn't the only one looking into them. It had taken a little more digging, but it was clear that somebody else was on the Fitzpatricks' tail. The question was why.

And who.

The only thing Veronica could come up with was that whoever it was, was connected somehow with the records she'd given Molly. If the Fitzpatricks were playing with the mob - and that seemed like a big deal, even for them, but Veronica wouldn't have put it past them - it didn't seem unlikely that someone had been assigned to tail them, to see that their connections weren't going to waste. The person had been careful, but they hadn't been difficult to trace once Veronica had stumbled onto them, and she knew that if she could find out who they were, it would have to lead her somewhere.

Of course, the thought of going after somebody who may or may not be working for the mob wasn't exactly a savoury one, but the way Veronica saw it, she didn't have enough options left to be picky.

She had considered going to Lamb for help - and had silenced the small voice that had asked her when exactly he became the first person she asked for help - but had discarded the thought almost immediately. He might have been the one to ask her for help on the case, but Veronica was pretty sure that if he knew where her investigations had led her, he'd want her off it, and she wasn't yet ready to give it up.

She pulled out her phone and dialed the number, waiting what seemed like an eternity for the person on the other end to pick up.

"Hello?"

"Wallace." Veronica smiled into the phone. "Got time to help me with something?"

-

Lamb sat in his chair, his thoughts bouncing back and forth over on another until he was sure that he could use a stiff drink. And it was barely ten o'clock.

Veronica Mars. Gambling. Veronica Mars. Gambling with Veronica Mars. Playing strip poker with Veronica Mars.

Lamb shook his head. This wasn't helping.

He had got nowhere on his case. He had no idea if he'd got anywhere with Veronica. He wasn't sure which thought was more frustrating.

Veronica Mars saying "money shot." Veronica Mars calling him her -

"Sheriff?"

Sacks wasn't smirking this time as he entered the office, which Lamb thought must have been a first. He sat up expectantly, trying to push thoughts of Veronica - so, pretty much all his thoughts - out of his head.

"What is it?"

"The Mayor is on line one."

Lamb frowned as Sacks left, and picked up the phone. "Mayor," he said. "What can I do for you?"

Gambling. Lamb tried to focus on gambling. It was safer.

-

She had never doubted he'd come through, but still, as Wallace sat across from her on his bed, Veronica couldn't help but smile.

"So what's this thing you wouldn't tell me about over the phone?" he asked. "It sounded pretty important."

"I need you to help me with an investigation," Veronica told him.

Wallace rolled his eyes. "Of course you do." But he was smiling, and Veronica knew that, whatever he might say, he had missed this.

She had, too.

"So who are we going after this time?" he asked.

Veronica looked at him. "The Fitzpatricks."

"The Fitzpatricks? Veronica, are you crazy?"

Veronica shook her head. Wallace was still staring at her incredulously.

"I need to find out what they're up to," she said. "Somebody's been tailing them, and I want to know who it is."

Wallace was silent for a moment. "I'm not going to be able to talk you out of this, am I?"

Veronica smiled. "Not a chance."

Eventually, she saw Wallace's expression change as he gave in, and she smiled a little more. "Are you free this afternoon?" she asked.

"Yeah."

She nodded. "I'll meet you back here."

Six hours later, Veronica was back in Wallace's room. He looked still unconvinced, but resigned.

"So, where to first?" he asked her.

Veronica grimaced. "The River Stix."

In stark contrast to the day before, Veronica found herself hoping to see Liam Fitzpatrick as she and Wallace sat outside the bar. Of course, this time she wasn't alone, and it was broad daylight; not that any of that really made her feel any better. It had been daylight the first time she had been to the River Stix, too.

She didn't know if luck was on her side or not when Liam walked out, not sparing a glance at the silver Saturn parked across the road. Veronica started the engine as he got into his car, willing her hands to stop shaking as she eased into the traffic three cars behind him.

A day in the life of Liam Fitzpatrick, Veronica realised hours later, was not as exciting as one might imagine. After a few undoubtedly illicit stops to seemingly benign locations - during which Veronica remained resolutely in her car - it was pawn shop, liquor store, and back to the River Stix.

"Well, that was ... interesting," Wallace said, as they idled across the road. "In a really, really boring way, I mean. Did you get anything?"

Veronica shook her head. An entire afternoon spent following Liam Fitzpatrick, and it had led her exactly nowhere. She hoped Molly had got further with the deals Veronica had her follow; Veronica wasn't sure she wanted to go another round with follow-the-psychopath-gang-leader, and she suspected that Wallace wouldn't be up for it, either. Frowning, she pulled away from the curb.

And slowed as she passed another car parked outside.

Her dad's car.

-

As she sat outside the River Stix for the third day in a row, Veronica tried to make sense of what she had seen the night before. She had only been able to come to one conclusion that made any sense, and she didn't like it at all.

Her father was the one trailing the Fitzpatricks.

What she still didn't know was why. The Fitzpatricks were bad news, she knew, but that still didn't give Keith any reason to go after them on his own. It could have been connected to a case somehow, but Veronica didn't think that her father would have taken on a case that required him to get up close and personal with Liam Fitzpatrick.

Of course, she could be wrong. Was probably wrong.

When Veronica saw Molly approaching the car, she forced herself to smile.

"What do you have," she asked as Molly slid in beside her.

Molly shrugged. "Not much. I followed those things you asked me to, but I didn't really find anything. I don't know where the money's going, and I don't know why."

Veronica sighed. "Did you find out anything?"

Molly nodded. "I have a name."

Veronica waited.

"Sam Mercano."

"Do you know who Sam Mercano is?" Veronica asked.

"Nope." Molly shook her head.

"Any idea how he's connected to your family, or why they keep giving him money?"

"I have no idea." Molly looked at Veronica. "I'd better go."

"Sure," Veronica agreed, and slumped back in her seat as Molly shut the door behind her.

She had a name. A name that meant absolutely nothing to her, but it was a start. Still, it didn't explain why she felt as if she was right back at square one.


	14. We've Been Over This Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica enlists Logan's help in tracking down a lead.

"Dealer busts."

Veronica smiled as the guys across from her grinned and raked in their chips. She shuffled the cards and dealt again, looking at her cards impassively. When they went all in at eighteen, she flipped over her card and smiled again.

"Dealer has nineteen. Want to go another round?"

They shook their heads, and Veronica looked up as someone else approached.

"I'll go a round with you," Logan said, then smirked, lowering his voice. "Or four."

Veronica met his gaze, trying not to blush. "You're never going to forget that, are you?" she asked.

"It was unforgettable." Logan was looking pleased with himself as he sat down across from her, and Veronica couldn't resist the urge.

"For you, maybe," she said, and Logan's smile faded a little.

He rallied impressively. "We can go again if you like," he said intimately. "I'll clear my schedule. Never let it be said that Logan Echolls leaves a customer unsatisfied."

"Customer?" Veronica asked. "And what does that make you?"

"The best you've ever had."

"Past tense." Veronica dealt the cards, still looking at Logan. "I assume you're in?"

He smiled. "Always."

When she won, Veronica smiled, but her smile faded quickly as she looked up to see Parker coming towards them.

"Hey, Logan," Parker said, then glanced up and saw Veronica. "Oh, hi, Veronica."

"Hey, Parker," Veronica said, confusion edging its way into her voice. "You come in here?"

Parker shook her head. "No, I've never been here before." She wrinkled her nose. "It's not really my scene."

Shooting Veronica an unreadable look, Logan turned around in his seat. "Hey," he said to Parker. "Are you here to see me?"

"Um, yeah," Parker said hesitantly, glancing up at Veronica again. "I just wanted to say hi."

"Well, hi."

The three of them shared an uncomfortable silence until Parker spoke again.

"Um, well, I should go," she said. "Nice seeing you, Veronica."

"You, too," Veronica said as she left, and looked back at Logan. "What was that about?"

"Nothing," he said quickly. "It's nothing. We're just hanging out."

Veronica nodded, not sure whether she felt more guilty about feeling anything at all, or about not feeling more. "It's your life," she told him.

Logan was looking at her curiously.

"Really," she said, and thought she meant it. Besides, she told herself, she had way too much to worry about in her life already without adding Logan to the list.

"I wanted to ask you something," she said after they'd played a few more hands. She paused.

"I read the article in _Vanity Fair_," she said carefully, and thought she saw a shadow of something pass over Logan's face.

"You and the rest of America," he said.

"Are you in touch with Charlie?" she asked after a minute, trying to keep her voice light. "I mean, did you ever get a chance to talk to him?"

"Yeah," Logan said quietly. "He called me after the article came out, said he had nothing to do with it. It's ... awkward, kinda. But we talk sometimes."

Veronica nodded. Logan had gone quiet, which was never a good sign.

"Why do you ask?" he said finally.

Veronica tried to smile. "He teaches at Calvert Academy, right?" she asked.

Logan nodded.

"There's a teacher at his school who I think might be involved in a case I'm on. I think he might be gambling, and if he is, it's not with some very nice people. I just want to find out what I can about it."

When Logan looked back up at Veronica, he was smiling, even if it didn't reach his eyes. "What's the guy's name?"

"James Hurley."

Logan nodded. "I'll talk to Charlie. See what I can do."

-

"Hey, you."

Lamb looked up at the sound of Veronica's voice, and smiled. Before she could say anything else, he crossed the room, closing the door behind her, and gathered her up in his arms. He lowered his mouth to meet hers, running his tongue over her lips, pressing her up against the wall of his office.

When Veronica finally pulled back, he straightened, adjusting his now-uncomfortably tight pants.

"Always a pleasure, Miss Mars," he said, and there was no trace of sarcasm in his voice. "So, to what do I owe this particular visit? Or are you just here to see me?" He smiled.

"I have a question," Veronica said, and she was smiling, too.

"Ask."

"Sam Mercano," she said, and Lamb frowned. "What do you know about him?"

Lamb looked at her until she stopped smiling, his expression serious. "Stay away from Mercano," he said, moving back to his desk. "He's bad news."

Veronica rolled her eyes and followed him. "That much, I already know. What else have you got?"

"Nothing," Lamb said shortly. "I'm not telling you anything about him, Veronica. I've said all you need to know. He's bad news. Stay away."

"He's bad news? Stay away?" Veronica mimicked. "You sound like my dad."

Lamb looked back at her, his mouth twitching into a smile. "Please don't ever say that again."

Veronica was still looking at him. "I'm a big girl," she said. "I can take it. Mercano. Hit me. What do you know?"

Lamb held her gaze. When he spoke again, he did so slowly. "I don't know anything. Whatever case you're on, drop it. Going after Mercano isn't worth it."

Veronica was silent for a moment, and then she shook her head. "You are just like my dad," she said as she left.

Lamb waited after she had gone, then walked to the door. "Sacks!" he yelled, and the deputy looked at him. "Get me Keith Mars on the phone."

-

"So you said Charlie talked to James Hurley?" Veronica looked across to where Logan was sitting in the car, and he nodded. When they finally pulled up outside Calvert Academy, he was looking at her.

"I don't suppose there's any chance you're going to tell me what this is all about?" It was just barely a question.

"I don't suppose there is."

Logan nodded, and Veronica waited for him to push her further, but he remained silent.

"Thanks, Logan," she said after a moment, and he smiled.

Veronica paused. "And if you want to go out with Parker," she said, and stopped. "That's ... I mean, you don't need my permission. But just in case, it's okay with me. I've ... moved on."

Logan looked at her sharply, like he wanted to ask her when, and how, and with who; but at that moment, Charlie came out of the building, and Veronica nodded at him.

She and Logan got out of the car, and Charlie waved at them in recognition. Veronica hung back as Logan went to meet him, trying not to overhear their conversation.

After a few minutes, Charlie turned toward her, and smiled. "You must be Veronica," he said. "Logan's talked about you."

Veronica looked at Logan, who smiled uncomfortably. "Well, I'll leave you guys to it," he said, and walked back to his car.

"So." Veronica turned back to Charlie. "You talked to James Hurley?"

Charlie nodded. "I talked to Jim," he agreed. "I asked him about gambling, but he really didn't seem to know anything."

Veronica frowned. She went to speak again, but Charlie looked away, then turned back to her. "That's him," he said, nodding at a middle-aged man who had just walked out of the building.

Veronica watched as Jim Hurley got into a nearby car, then smiled at Charlie. "Are you busy this afternoon?" she asked.

"Nope." Charlie shook his head.

"Want to do a little recon?"

Charlie grinned at her, and in that moment, Veronica thought she saw a little of Logan in his eyes. "Always."

Charlie led Veronica to his car as Hurley drove off, and Veronica slid into the passenger seat.

"Follow him," she instructed Charlie. "Try to stay a few cars back, if you can. Tailing somebody doesn't usually work too well when the person knows they're being followed."

"How am I doing?" Charlie asked Veronica a few blocks later.

She smiled. "You're a natural," she assured him earnestly. "Wait, I think he's stopping. Pull in over there."

Veronica and Charlie watched from across the street as Hurley went into a nearby building. "A bookstore?" she asked, confused.

Charlie shrugged. "He's a teacher."

Veronica frowned. If this was going to be a repeat of her and Wallace's afternoon spent tracking Liam Fitzpatrick, she thought she might as well call the whole thing off now.

"So you and Logan are ..." Charlie began after a few minutes, and Veronica looked at him.

"We used to date," she said.

Charlie looked at her. "But you guys are still friends?"

Veronica thought for a minute. "Yeah," she said finally. "We're friends."

Charlie didn't say anything else, and after a moment, Veronica looked back at him. "And you and Logan are?"

Charlie laughed. "Brothers, apparently. I know. Weird, huh?" He shrugged. "We talk sometimes. He seems like an okay guy."

"He is," Veronica told him. Charlie remained silent. "But you're not sure you want to jump into anything?" she asked.

Charlie smiled. "That's the long and short of it."

Veronica searched his expression for a sign that he'd rather drop the subject, and found none. "For what it's worth," she said, and wondered how to continue. "Logan hasn't had the ... easiest home life."

"Yeah." Charlie nodded. "I know."

"He hasn't had much luck with family," Veronica pressed on, pushing away sudden thoughts of just how true that was. "And you're pretty much all he has left. I can't say I know how difficult this is ..."

She trailed off. She had never had do deal with integrating herself into a family she hadn't known existed for most of her life. But it had been a close run thing.

"But I think this - getting to know you - is important to him. It's good for him."

When Charlie finally looked up at her, he was smiling a little. "Yeah," was all he said.

And then his attention shifted, and Veronica looked out her window. Jim Hurley had come out of the bookstore.

She didn't have to tell Charlie to follow him again as they eased back into traffic, following a safe distance behind. They tailed Hurley as he drove into a decidedly less desirable part of town, Veronica's anxiety growing with every block. When he finally stopped, Charlie drove past as Hurley ducked into a second building.

"Park down the street," Veronica said, and Charlie complied. They waited in silence until Hurley finally emerged.

"What?" Charlie asked, and Veronica realised she was smiling. The good news was, she knew the cigar shop Jim Hurley had just gone into. She had followed Tom Griffith into it more than a year ago.

The bad news was, she knew the cigar shop Jim Hurley had just gone into.

"I know what Hurley's up to," she told Charlie as he drove her back to campus. "And it isn't gambling."

Charlie looked at her, and Veronica paused.

"It's drugs."


	15. Vice And Principles

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> After helping Lamb with another case, Veronica is surprised by a not-so-welcome visitor.

"Honey, lunch is ready!"

Veronica emerged from her room, smiling. "You ordered out for lunch?" she asked. "Is this a special occasion?"

Her father was still smiling, but a little less now, and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"Let me guess," she said dryly. "You're not going to be home for dinner tonight. You'll be working on your case late, you're really sorry, and this is your way of making it up to me."

Keith grimaced as he bit into his food. "I may not be home at all," he confessed eventually. "But I am really sorry, honey."

Veronica shrugged, trying not to let it bother her.

"Are you mad at me?" he asked.

She made an effort to smile at him. "How can I be mad when there's lasagne?"

When she had finished her lunch, Veronica looked at her father again. "So," she said, trying to keep her voice light. "I know you said you weren't going to tell me anything ... but you've been gone an awful lot."

Keith looked up sharply. "I did say I wasn't going to tell you about the case." He paused, and finished his own lasagne. "And I'm still not going to tell you anything."

Veronica shrugged. "I'd just like to know what I've been losing my father to for the past few months."

"Veronica." Keith tone held a warning. "I'm serious. Stay out of this."

Veronica didn't say anything else, but Keith continued to look at her, and she shook her head. "Fine," she said. "Okay. Consider me officially staying out of it."

"Okay," Keith said finally. He sounded unconvinced, but he got up, kissing her on the forehead. "Be good while I'm gone," he said, and Veronica smiled.

"I always am."

Officially, Veronica was staying out of the case. Unofficially? She had no idea what was causing her father to stay out at all hours of the night, or how it was connected to the Fitzpatricks, but she was going to find out.

Waiting what she deemed a suitable length of time to make sure he wasn't coming back, Veronica snuck into her father's room. It was unlikely that he would have kept any notes lying around the house, especially considering how much he didn't want her involved, but she figured it was at least worth a shot.

Half an hour later, still empty-handed, Veronica was so engrossed in rifling through the desk that she almost didn't hear the front door open. Swearing under her breath, she rushed out of the room.

"Dad? I wasn't -" Veronica stopped short when she saw Lamb.

"You weren't what?" Lamb asked, when she didn't say anything.

Veronica ignored the question. "Haven't you ever heard of knocking?"

Lamb shrugged. "The door was open."

"And that gives you the right to barge into people's houses unannounced?"

"No." Lamb smiled, and pointed to his badge. "But this does."

"Not without a warrant," Veronica countered.

"So now I need a warrant to get you to see me?"

Eventually, Veronica gave up, and smiled. "No," she said. "So is this just a social visit?"

Lamb shook his head. "I need your help on a case."

"Another one?" Veronica asked. "What would you do without me?"

He smiled, and Veronica could guess the answer. "So, are you free tonight?" he asked.

"For crime and intrigue? I'm always free."

Lamb's face fell comically. "And here I thought it was all about me."

Veronica chose not to answer that. "So what's the case?" she asked.

"Alleged prostitution," he said. "We have several sources claiming that the Eighth Wonder has branched out a little; they say the girls working there do more than just strip for their money."

"The Eighth Wonder?" Veronica asked. "Seedy place."

"I'm a seedy kind of guy," Lamb said.

"So you want me to, what? Try to get a job there?"

Lamb scowled and moved closer to Veronica. "Definitely not. I'm going to check it out tonight, and I thought you might want to come along."

Veronica smiled. "Translation: you need to case the club, but a guy who walks into the club alone and stays alone is bound to raise a few eyebrows."

"More or less."

"So I'm your beard," Veronica said, and Lamb shook his head.

"I like to think of it as more of a date," he said. He paused, and when he spoke again, Veronica realised that her chance to correct his choice of words had probably come and gone.

"So I'll pick you up at ten?" he asked, and Veronica just nodded.

-

Veronica tried not to fidget with her top as she waited for Lamb. She couldn't really say she was comfortable in her choice of clothing, but she thought it would probably be considered tasteful by the standards of the Eighth Wonder. Anything more, and she was afraid of standing out.

Not that she really wanted to fit in, either.

When Veronica finally opened the door to Lamb - and she only hoped it was Lamb - it was clear that he didn't share her reservations.

"Wow," he said after a moment, and Veronica blushed. All over.

He took her arm as he led her towards his car, and Veronica let him, adjusting her skirt quickly as she sat down. Once he had got in beside her Lamb waited for a moment before driving off, as if he was composing himself, and they sat in silence on the way over.

"Are you ready?" he asked her when they arrived, and she nodded.

The bouncer barely spared them a glance as they passed, and Veronica tried not to look too nervous as they entered the club. The Eighth Wonder was everything she'd heard and less, tacky decor and tackier clientele. She was half surprised that she didn't see Vinnie Vanlowe lurking at a table somewhere; this seemed like exactly the kind of place he'd frequent.

Lamb guided Veronica to a booth in the corner, and a waitress came over to take their order. "What'll it be?" she asked in a bored voice.

"Scotch on the rocks," Lamb said, and looked at Veronica. "And a vodka and lemon."

When their drinks arrived, Lamb moved closer to Veronica, placing a hand on her thigh. She didn't push it away.

"So what do you think?" she asked him.

Lamb looked at her suggestively, and Veronica could tell exactly what he was thinking. "I mean, about the case," she clarified.

"Oh." Lamb took a drink. "That." He looked around the club, and shrugged. "I guess we wait and see."

As they sat, Veronica looked around the room, and frowned. For all the seediness practically radiating from every corner of the club, she couldn't see anything untoward - or rather, anything illegal - going on. Maybe they were here too early. Maybe Lamb's information had been wrong.

Maybe this was a complete bust.

They ordered more drinks.

Way too many rounds later, Lamb's hand crept further up her thigh, which didn't surprise Veronica. What did surprise her was that she enjoyed it.

And then his hand reached up even further, until it was no longer on her thigh, and Veronica left it there a moment, his fingers edging under the elastic of her underwear, before she slid away.

"I have to go to the bathroom," she told him, and it was almost the truth.

The women's bathrooms were, unpredictably, not as filthy as she'd imagined, though she didn't like to think about the probable state of the men's. Splashing water on her face, Veronica looked up into the mirror. And found that she was actually smiling.

By the time she made her way back into the club, Lamb was already standing, looking towards her. "Ready to go?" he asked when she reached him.

Veronica nodded.

She didn't bother to rearrange her skirt when she got into the car again, which was probably a mistake; Lamb's eyes stayed on the road half the time, at best. He walked her to the door when they reached her apartment, and Veronica had barely managed to get her keys in the lock when he kissed her, grabbing her hips and pulling her towards him. She kissed him back, tasting scotch and lemon, and moaned as he bent down to kiss her neck.

"Inside," she told him huskily, pushing the door open. Lamb followed her, barely giving her time to shut the door behind them before his hands were on her again, cupping her ass through her skirt, pulling her so close to him she could feel every hard curve of his body.

Veronica threw her head back as Lamb kissed her throat, whispering against her so softly she couldn't make out the words. He reached his hand up her skirt, and Veronica gasped as his hand grazed the top of her thigh. She leaned forward to kiss his jaw, his neck, and bit her lip as his fingers slid once more under the edge of her underwear.

"Wait," Veronica managed to whisper when she finally got her breath back, pulling back suddenly. Lamb looked at her, confusion and concern warring with lust and frustration in his features.

"You can't stay," she told him, trying unsuccessfully to pull herself together. "My dad could get home, and if he catches you ..."

Veronica had expected Lamb to argue, but instead he just nodded. He kissed her one last time, until Veronica felt her resolve starting to weaken, and finally pulled away.

As he shut the door behind him, Veronica breathed out. And resigned herself to a very long night, alone.

-

Veronica tried not to think of Lamb the next morning, when her dad still wasn't home. She tried very hard not to think of his body wrapped around hers, of his fingers teasing her gently, his breath hot in her ear.

It wasn't working.

But she had other things beside Lamb to think of, too, and Veronica tried to focus her attention on them as she walked into the office.

There had been no notes about the Fitzpatrick case at home, which wasn't surprising. Veronica tossed a cursory glance at the desk before going straight for the safe, hoping her father hadn't changed the combination since the last time.

He hadn't.

As the safe clicked open, Veronica began to pull out files, looking for anything marked "Fitzpatrick." There was nothing. But as she looked through a second time, another name caught her eye.

What was her father still doing with a file on Kendall Casablancas?

Veronica pulled the file, and sat down at the desk to read over it. Whatever she had been expecting, she reflected a moment later, it hadn't been this.

Kendall Casablancas was dead, according to Keith's handwriting. She had somehow got her hands on millions of dollars, and Cormac Fitzpatrick had killed her for her trouble.

And then, Keith apparently suspected, Liam Fitzpatrick had killed his brother.

Veronica shivered as she read over the file a second time. Her father had been right. She hadn't wanted to know about any of this.

She was still staring at the notes when she became aware of a figure standing in the doorway. She hurriedly shoved the notes in a drawer, though she had no idea what she'd say if her father had caught her.

"A little light reading?"

Definitely not her father.

"Vinnie," Veronica said, looking up with a fake smile. "Funny, I was just thinking about you last night."

Vinnie leered at her, and Veronica cringed. "Ew. No. Not like that."

Vinnie shrugged, and sat down across from her. "Too bad," he said. "Although, it's funny you should say that, because I happened to be thinking about you last night, too. Seeing you, too."

He slid a file across the desk to her, and Veronica frowned. "What's this?" she asked warily.

Vinnie smiled. "Take a look."

Hesitantly, Veronica picked up the folder and looked at the photographs inside. It took her a minute to register what she was seeing, but then her mouth fell open in shock.

Her and Lamb. Her and Lamb at the Bayside. Her and Lamb outside the Bayside. Her and Lamb at the Eighth Wonder, with his hand up her skirt. Her and Lamb outside her apartment, him pinning her to the wall.

When Veronica finally looked up, Vinnie was still smiling. She wasn't.

"What are these?" she asked, trying to keep her voice from shaking. "Why do you have these?"

Vinnie winked at her. "You know I can't reveal my clients."

It took all of Veronica's self-control not to leap across the desk and choke the information out of him.

"Easy, girl," Vinnie said, and Veronica imagined that at least some of her anger must have shown on her face. "I'm not going to hand these over to anyone. I just thought you might like the keepsake."

"And besides." He leaned back in his chair. "This means that now, you owe me a favour. A pretty big one, I imagine."

Veronica's mind shuffled back instinctively to the files in her father's desk. To Lamb's case. With an effort, she smiled.

"I might have to owe you another one," she said, leaning forward. "Because I need your help with something."


	16. All Bets Are In

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica digs deeper into the case, and finds her way inside.

"Hey there, stranger."

"Hey there yourself." Wallace smiled, and stepped aside to let Veronica into his room. When she turned, he was still staring at her, and she frowned.

"What?" she asked.

"So, what is it this time? Trailing bad guys? Gathering intel? You want me to dress up like a nerd again?"

Veronica smiled, and sat down on Wallace's bed. "None of the above," she said. "I just though I'd come by to see you."

Wallace looked sceptical, and she laughed. "Seriously. No favours. No undercover operations. No bad guys. I just wanted to wanted to hang out with my friend."

After a minute, Wallace smiled. "All right. I actually believe you." He sat down on the bed and looked at Veronica. "Don't you make a sucker out of me."

"A sucker? Wallace Fennel?" Veronica pretended to look shocked. "Never."

"So," Wallace said. "What's up with you, then?"

Veronica shrugged. "The usual. What about you? I heard you won your game last night."

Wallace was still looking at her seriously. "What?" she asked.

"Seriously," he said. "What's up with you?"

Veronica eyed him warily. "What's this about?"

"Logan came to see me the other day," Wallace said after a pause, and Veronica frowned.

"Logan came to see you?"

"Yeah. He said something about you moving on. He wanted to know who it was with."

Veronica sighed, and stood up. "I can't believe he did that. How is that even any of his business?"

Wallace shrugged. "He still cares about you."

"Yeah," Veronica said. "We're friends. That doesn't give him the right to go snooping around my private life."

"Yeah, well, we're friends, too," Wallace said. "And I didn't tell him anything, so you can relax."

Veronica looked at him sharply. "There's nothing to tell. I'm moving on. Period. There doesn't have to be a guy involved."

"Not even a local Sheriff?"

Veronica stared at Wallace, who returned it defiantly. She had used to think that she could tell Wallace anything. But this ... this, she wasn't so sure about.

"Well?"

Veronica sighed. "I don't know what's going on between me and Lamb," she admitted finally.

"But you're seeing him?"

She paused. "Yes. I'm seeing him."

She sat back down, and they stayed in silence for a while, until Wallace spoke again.

"Veronica," he said. "I'm still your best friend. I may not like the guy - actually, I pretty much hate him - but you can tell me stuff. Even stuff I don't approve of."

Veronica looked at him, and smiled faintly. "Thank you," she said.

Wallace shook his head. "This still doesn't mean I understand it," he said, and smiled. "But this better mean you can get me out of parking tickets now."

 

-

Veronica watched the players at her table carefully, trying not to look at the cards as she shuffled and dealt. She was a fair player - good, even - but Veronica knew that she needed to get better than good, and fast.

"New table?" Logan smirked as he sat down, waiting until Veronica had won the current hand before adding his chips to the table.

Veronica smiled at him. "I'm practising."

"Practising for what?"

-

_"You need my help?" Vinnie asked incredulously, and looked around the office. "Is this, uh, a personal favour?"_

Veronica wrinkled her nose. "Strictly business," she told him.

"What is it?"

She smiled. "Now, I'm just guessing here, but your cases - not always on the up-and-up?"

"Off the record?"

"Ever help out anybody who was maybe on the wrong side of the law?" Veronica asked him. "Do some things you maybe wouldn't be too happy if the Sheriff's department found out about?"

Vinnie sat up. "Wait a second. Are you blackmailing me? Because I've got copies of those pictures, you know."

Veronica shook her head. "Just a question."

"So, you mean, aside from your last boyfriend?"

"Aside from Duncan, yes."

Vinnie shrugged. "I might. The Fitzpatrick boys practically have me on retainer."

Veronica frowned at the sudden mention of the Fitzpatricks. "Do you know a guy called Sam Mercano?"

"It rings a bell. What do you want with Mercano?"

"I'm pretty sure he's involved in a case I'm working on. Gambling. I want to find out everything I can about him."

Vinnie looked mildly concerned. "Those guys are big time. You sure you're up to it?"

Veronica looked at him. "I'm up to it."

"Your call."

"So what can you tell me about them?"

"Not much you'd want to know," Vinnie said. "Mercano's in charge. Young, but don't let that fool you. He means business, and he'll do anything he can to get ahead. An all-rounder. Gambling, drugs. Up and coming. Didn't step on too many toes on his way there, so he's got connections. I'd say he's probably your guy."

Veronica nodded. "Do you think you can get me in?"

He shrugged again. "I've got connections, too."

"To Mercano?"

"Among others. Yeah, I can probably get you in." He leaned forward. "You know how to deal cards?"

-

"Just a case I'm working on," Veronica told Logan, and he frowned.

"Veronica."

"What?"

Logan looked worried, and Veronica really wished he'd given that up when they broke up. "You're messing with some bad stuff here. I don't want you to get in over your head."

Veronica paused. She looked around the room, then drew Logan off into the corner.

"Heard from Kendall lately?" she asked him quietly.

"She ran off," Logan said, and Veronica shook her head.

"She didn't run off. She's dead, Logan. Cormac Fitzpatrick killed her."

Logan just stared at her. He kept his face steady, but his eyes were filled with something Veronica could only assume was grief.

"Do you think the Fitzpatricks are involved in this?" he asked finally.

Veronica shrugged. "I don't know. They might be. And if they are, I'm going to bring them down."

Logan nodded.

When he left, he didn't ask her again to stay away from the case.

-

"Hands!" Veronica glanced sharply at Vinnie as he reached a hand down from where it was resting on her shoulders to skim the edge of her top.

Vinnie just smiled. "Whoa, sugarpuss. Do you want this to be believable or not?"

Veronica held his gaze. "Just watch it," she warned him, and was rewarded with a not-so-reassuring smirk from Vinnie.

Veronica studied the building critically as they approached. It didn't look like the kind of place an illegal back room casino would be operating. It didn't look like much of anything, actually, which Veronica supposed was pretty much the point.

"Are you sure you're ready to go through with this?" Vinnie asked, and Veronica nodded.

"I'm ready."

If the outside of the building didn't look much like an illegal casino, the inside most definitely did. It reminded Veronica vaguely of Mercer's casino, but harder, sleazier. The room was dimly lit, tables packing the floor, and the air was thick with smoke.

She forced herself to smile as they entered.

"Vinnie!" A man approached them, smiling, and Veronica looked up at him. "You ready to give me all your money?"

Beside Veronica, Vinnie nudged her, and she assumed that the man was Mercano. He was cute, in a criminal sort of way.

Mercano was looking at her appraisingly. "Who's the babe?" he asked Vinnie.

"This is Veronica," Vinnie said, before Veronica could give a fake name. Her smile stayed firmly in place.

Mercano turned to Veronica. "You play?" he asked.

"A little."

He nodded as he left, and Vinnie drew Veronica over to one of the tables. "Want to play a round?" he asked her, putting a wad of bills town on the table. The money quickly disappeared, and Veronica nodded.

"Sure."

She lost the first hand, watching the dealer carefully, paying only minimal attention to her own cards. He was good, but not excellent, and by the fourth round, she was pretty sure she could read him.

Vinnie whistled beside her as she won that hand, and Veronica tipped him a wink. She won the four after that, too, easily handing Vinnie back his money, until he pulled her away.

"Easy, there," he said, trying not to look around nervously. "I don't want to get killed here."

"I thought you told me to play well."

"I told you to play good, not to fleece Mercano your first night here. Just ... dial it down a notch, would you?"

Veronica smiled, but she was careful not to go all in after that. Forty minutes in, she lost big, and she didn't think it would be difficult for anyone watching to see that she'd done so deliberately.

And hour and twenty minutes in, Vinnie walked out, shooting Veronica a quick glance as he left to confirm that she was okay.

An hour and twenty-seven minutes in, Mercano approached Veronica.

"So," he said, coming up to stand beside her. "You and Vinnie."

Veronica shook her head. "We're not together."

Mercano shrugged nonchalantly, but moved a little closer. "You looked pretty good out there," he told her. "You play often?"

"It's kind of a hobby." Veronica smiled.

He nodded, and leaned in close to Veronica, resting a hand on her waist. "I'm throwing a sort of private party next week," he said, and smiled. "If you're interested."

"I might be."

Mercano studied her. "You ever deal cards before?" he asked.


	17. Busted

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica gets in over her head at Sam Mercano's private party.

"Hey, Veronica."

Veronica turned. "Hey, Piz."

Piz looked around, slightly bemused. "So, this looks like fun ... what is it, exactly?"

"The Theta Beta summer wet 'n' wild barbeque," she told him, smiling.

"Ah," he said. "Yes. Obviously. I see you've got your barbeques, and your, uh, water slides." His eyes came to rest on the slide. "Your girls in bikinis."

"And," Veronica said, gesturing to the group beside them, "your ever-present drunk college guys." As if to emphasise her point, Chip Diller hollered loudly, and Piz laughed.

"So, Veronica ..." he began, and stopped as her attention shifted.

Veronica smiled at him distractedly. "I'll talk to you later, okay?" she asked. Moving past him, she ran up to Lamb, who grinned.

As Veronica reached him, Lamb put his arms around her waist and kissed her. Leaning into him, Veronica kissed him back, smiling as he pulled away.

"You came," she said. And then, as if realising what he was wearing for the first time, she frowned. "In uniform."

Lamb stepped back a little, his hands still on her waist. "I'm working," he said, "so I can't stay."

Veronica pouted, and he laughed. "I'll be back," he assured her.

"Okay," Veronica said, smiling as she kissed him quickly. "I'll see you later."

As Lamb walked away, she turned.

And bumped straight into Dick Casablancas.

Dick shook his head comically. "Did I just see you kissing the Sheriff?" he asked her.

Veronica bit her lip. This was not good.

"That's who you chose to get over Logan with?"

"I'm not getting over Logan with anyone," Veronica said. "I'm over Logan. And the last time I checked, my love life was none of your business."

Dick backed away, raising his hands. "Hey, you do whatever you want," he said. "Bang the Sheriff. What do I care?"

Veronica shook her head as he walked away. What did she care what Dick knew, she asked herself. She didn't bother to listen to the answer.

"Hey, Hallie," she said then, approaching one of the barbeques.

"Hey, Veronica!" Hallie said brightly. "Do you want something?"

Veronica smiled, and thanked Hallie as she handed Veronica a burger. She bit into it, trying to forget her brief altercation with Dick, and wandered away from the crowd into the Theta Beta house.

"Veronica, hi!"

Veronica looked up at Shania as she finished the last of her burger. "Hi."

"Come on, we're all getting changed," Shania said, pulling Veronica up the stairs. "You brought your bathing suit, right?"

Veronica smiled. "It's under my dress."

"Oh, good." Shania looked relieved.

Veronica unzipped her dress in Shania's room as the other girls got changed, laying it out on the bed. When Shania looked back at her, Veronica almost felt overdressed.

"Last one outside is a rotten egg!" Siobhann called, and Veronica ran downstairs with the others, letting out a shout as Kim, who was manning the water slide, soaked her with the hose.

Grabbing Veronica's hand again, Shania dove headfirst into the slide, pulling Veronica in after her. When Veronica finally got up, wet and thoroughly dishevelled, she pushed her hair back from her face and looked up to see Lamb smiling at her.

"You're back!" she said, throwing her arms around Lamb, trying to get him as wet as possible as she pressed against him. "And you changed."

Lamb kissed her, but when he pulled back, he was looking down at her seriously. "I need to talk to you," he said.

Veronica frowned. "Okay."

"Alone."

She nodded. "Let me just get my things."

When Veronica emerged from the Theta Beta house, dressed once more and carrying her bag, Lamb was waiting for her outside.

"My dad's probably home," she told him.

Lamb nodded. "Meet me at my place."

-

"So, what did you want to talk about?"

Lamb was leaning against his couch when she got there, the serious expression still on his face.

"I'm worried about you," he said, and Veronica rolled her eyes.

"I really wish people would stop saying that."

Lamb looked at her. "Well, maybe you should listen to them for once."

"God, you sound just like ..." Veronica trailed off.

"Like who? Your dad?"

Veronica shook her head. "No."

"Listen, Veronica, I know I know I asked for your help on this case, but I want you to drop it, okay? I can handle it."

Veronica looked at him for a long moment. She stepped forward, placing her hands on Lamb's chest. "I'm fine," she said, and kissed him.

When Lamb looked like he was going to speak, Veronica kissed him again, longer this time, and he kissed her back.

He ran his hands through her hair as she put her arms around his neck, tasting chlorine on her tongue and cinnamon and coffee on Lamb's. One of them moaned, and Veronica wasn't sure who; moving closer to press into him, she gasped as Lamb lowered his mouth to her neck, tilting her head back as she pushed him backwards, and they went tumbling over onto the couch together.

Veronica drew in a breath as Lamb reached up to cup her breast, feeling him hard beneath her. She tangled her hands in his hair, wriggling on top of him, and felt Lamb bite back a gasp against her throat.

She didn't object this time when he reached his hand down to her bikini bottoms, teasing his fingers gently underneath them, and almost forgot to breathe when he pulled them off her in one fluid motion. She sat up as Lamb looked at her, his eyes darkened with lust.

As he lifted her in his arms, Veronica laughed, reaching up to put her hands around his shoulders. "Where are we going?" she asked him as he stood.

Lamb looked down as he carried her. "Bedroom," he said. "Now."

-

Veronica tried - unsuccessfully - to keep her mind on the game as she dealt, barely registering the cards in front of her. Every time she let her mind wander, she could still feel Lamb's hands on her, his mouth hot and insistent against hers, could remember the way he had cried out as she ...

Veronica shook her head as she lost another hand. Not, she reflected, that it really mattered.

Whatever the purpose of Sam Mercano's private party, it wasn't gambling.

There was some gambling going on, sure; Veronica's was one of a few sparsely populated tables scattered around the room. But it seemed to her like more of a distraction than anything else. Mercano, and the few men Veronica guessed were connected with him, were sitting at the centre of the room, barely looking at the tables. If Mercano was trying to hide something, she thought, he wasn't doing a very good job of it; every few minutes he glanced up toward the door, and Veronica wondered, if not very hard, who he was waiting for.

When he finally came over to her table, ostensibly to see how she was doing - which was not very well - Veronica thought it was probably time for her to leave.

As Mercano ran his hand across her lower back, she turned. "If you don't need me any more ..." she began, and he smiled.

"Oh," he said quietly, "I need you."

He stayed at her side after that, his hands never quite leaving her, and Veronica suppressed a shudder. She had got herself into this, she knew. The thought wasn't much comfort.

"Hey!" she cried as Mercano grabbed her suddenly, his hands tight around her waist. Then he turned her around to face the door, and Veronica knew that her troubles had barely begun.

From the open doorway, Liam Fitzpatrick leered at her.

Mercano dragged Veronica over to Liam, releasing his grip on her as Liam grabbed her roughly by the hair. He looked down at her, his face only inches from hers, and smiled coldly.

"Well, what do we have here?" he asked. "If it isn't Veronica Mars."

Veronica restrained herself - barely - from spitting in his face. Instead, she kicked him, her foot connecting sharply with his shin, and he grabbed her by the arm as she turned to run.

"Now, now," he chided her. "Is that any way to treat an old friend?"

He leaned down until Veronica could feel his breath, hot on her cheek. "Your daddy has something of mine," he snarled. "And now, I have something of his."

"Are we cool?" Mercano's voice interrupted Liam, and he looked up.

"Yeah," he said. "We're cool. Danny!"

At the edge of her vision, Veronica could see a figure moving forward, and she couldn't quite make out the hushed whispers that followed.

Liam leaned down, and pulled Veronica tight against him. She squirmed in his grip, and he laughed. "Down, girl," he said. "We'll have plenty of time for that later."

Veronica's breath was coming quickly, now, and she tried not to panic. Considering the circumstances, it was difficult.

Liam barely seemed to register her struggles as he yanked her roughly towards the door. His grip seemed to tighten every time she moved, and Veronica considered - and quickly discarded - the idea of calling out for help.

When the door banged open in front of them, Liam froze. Barely two feet away from them, Lamb stood, his gun drawn.

Behind him, four deputies stood in similar positions. And so did Veronica's father.

Lamb's eyes narrowed when he saw her, and Veronica felt herself being pulled backwards as Liam backed away. Behind her, she could hear shouts and scrambling as she guessed that Sam Mercano and company were preparing to make a break for it.

"Sacks! Ramirez! Sampson! Davis!" At Lamb's shouts, the deputies ran forward.

"Veronica!" That was her father's voice, and Veronica watched as Lamb turned to him.

"Keith, go with them."

Keith hesitated.

"Keith!" Lamb looked at him insistently. "I've got her. Go!"

After a minute, her father ran forward, sparing Veronica a pained glance as he passed.

Only then did she feel the switchblade against her neck.

"Liam." Lamb's voice was lower now, and he moved forward slowly. "Let her go."

Liam leaned down until his face was pressed against Veronica's cheek. "I don't think so."

Veronica cried out as the blade bit into her flesh, and Lamb stopped moving.

They stayed that way for what felt like an eternity. Lamb's eyes never left Veronica.

Then he fired.

Veronica cried out again as a sharp pain bit through her shoulder, and Liam stumbled back, releasing his grip on her. She would have fallen if Lamb hadn't been there to catch her.

She wanted nothing more than to stay like that, held tightly in his arms, but a second later he was gone, and Veronica turned to see him shoving Liam against one of the poker tables.

Lamb drew his handcuffs, pulling Liam's arms tightly behind his back, and shoved him once again for good measure as the cuffs slid into place.

Just when Veronica could feel her legs threaten to give way beneath her, Lamb was in front of her again, gathering her gently in his arms. He pushed her hair back from her forehead and kissed her, and for a moment, Veronica almost forgot that anything else existed.

And then it all came rushing back as a fresh bolt of pain lanced through her shoulder.

"Veronica? Are you okay?" Lamb asked, pulling back as she cried out.

"You shot me," Veronica said weakly, and sank back into his arms. He held her as if he'd never let her go, and in that moment, Veronica wished he wouldn't.

"I saved you," Lamb corrected, his voice barely a whisper.

Veronica looked up at him, and smiled. "Yeah," she said. "You saved me."


	18. Up And Down And Back Again

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Veronica recovers with Lamb.

"Ouch!"

Lamb looked down as Veronica cried out softly, wincing even at his gentle touch. The cut on her neck had been minor, if painful, but the graze on her shoulder from where Lamb had shot past her at Liam Fitzpatrick was healing more slowly.

"Relax." Lamb's tone was light, but concern showed in his eyes. "It's only a flesh wound."

As he drew the bandage away, Veronica looked at him, and smiled even through the pain. "I got shot," she reminded him.

Lamb grimaced. "I remember."

When he had finished, he looked at her again. "How does it feel?" he asked.

"Painful," Veronica said, but she was still smiling.

"My dad called earlier," she said after a pause. "He said he should be home tomorrow."

Lamb nodded, and Veronica thought he looked disappointed. "He got Mercano?"

Veronica nodded. "He's bringing him in."

Lamb was still looking at her concernedly. "I told you to stay away from him," he said quietly.

"And I ignored you." Veronica tried to smile, but it was weak.

"You could have gotten hurt."

Veronica rolled her eyes. "I was hurt. Remember?"

Lamb nodded seriously. "That's exactly my point. Veronica -"

Veronica silenced him with a kiss, and felt Lamb smile against her mouth a moment before he kissed her back.

She reached her hands up to put them around his neck, ignoring the pain that flared in her shoulder as she did so. Lamb placed his hands gently on her back, kissing her mouth, her cheeks, her jaw. Veronica laughed as his lips gently brushed her neck, and was rewarded by Lamb smiling back at her.

"Careful," he said. "You'll bruise my ego."

"That ego?" Veronica shot him a disbelieving look, and leaned forward. "Armour piercing bullets couldn't bruise your ego."

Lamb smirked. "Well, can you blame me? I saved the day. I got the girl."

"Oh, so now you have me?" Veronica asked.

"It looks that way from here." Lamb smiled, and almost despite herself, Veronica smiled back.

"And all you had to do was save my life a couple of times."

Then she was kissing him again, harder, and she didn't even care when her shoulder screamed in pain as Lamb gathered her into his arms. He kissed her neck, his touch infuriatingly gentle, until Veronica was almost screaming for her to touch her _there, hard, now._

Lamb had never been very good at following orders.

But he was very good at other things.

They didn't make it to the bedroom this time, and an hour later, Lamb was looking at his couch with newfound pride.

"I definitely got the girl," he said, his hand resting on Veronica's hair as she lay beside him, her head on his chest.

Veronica frowned. "I have to go home."

"Now?"

She sat up to look at him. "Before my dad gets back."

"I know." Lamb smiled a little. "I kinda got used to having you here."

"Me, too," Veronica agreed. "Even if your place is decidedly un-girl friendly."

"I'll have you know I've entertained many girls here."

Veronica smacked him playfully, and tried not to scowl. "That's not what I meant."

"What? Is there or is there not ice cream in the freezer?"

"Yeah, there is now. When I got here you didn't even have pop tarts."

"I don't like pop tarts."

"I do."

Lamb grinned. "Well, from now on I'll try to keep a few pop tarts around, just in case."

Veronica smiled at him. "That's better."

He leaned over and kissed her again, and Veronica kissed him back, gently manoeuvring herself so that she was straddling him. She leaned down to kiss him again, and Lamb pulled back, looking at her contemplatively.

"Veronica," he said softly.

"What?"

"I love you."

Veronica looked at Lamb for a moment, then smiled, leaning down to kiss him again. "My dad is still going to kick your ass," she told him seriously.


End file.
